The Dark Jester
by samuraistorm
Summary: Tai has been getting nightmares about a clown. With the return of an old evil, Tai must now become his nightmare to battle this, but will the darkness take over him? TaiXSora, but a MattXSora to begin with. Sequel is up.
1. Teaser Intro

**This story takes place a few years after the MaloMyotismon incident. The older DigiDestined are in college, and the younger ones are in their senior year of highschool with Cody as an exception. I do not own any of the Digimon characters, but I own the name of The Dark Jester.

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**(Teaser)**

Tai stood next to a figure dressed in a tan brown robe with his hood covering his face. The two stood on the rooftops, staring out into the night sky.

"Everynight, its the same." Tai said, "The face keeps haunting me."

**Everyone with life has nightmares.**

In the pitch blackness, a jokish giggle was heard from within.

"What kind of face was it?" The hooded figure asked Tai.

From the blackness of Tai's mind, the giggling revealed its face, showing a mask with a large grin on its face. The face popped out of the darkness, now laughing. Tai turned towards the hooded figure.

"A clown."

**Will this new face be the end of him?**

Tai stood in the middle of the pouring rain. He grabbed his hair and screamed to the night sky in pain.

**Or will it be his savior?**

Tai held a mask that resembled the exact details of the clown's face in his dreams. He slowly put the mask on, letting its powers consume him.

**A hero of darkness will come.**

A group of hooded gangsters surrounded Sora, grabbing her and kissing her neck and hands.

"Help!" Sora screamed, "Someone please help me!"

**To save those whom he loves.**

The clown of Tai's dreams appears before a criminal. He walked out from the shadows of the trees.

"You can fool others, but you cannot fool a fool." The clown said, "But not just any fool, a jester. A Dark Jester."

**From a returning evil.**

"He's back." Tai said. Sora slowly approuched Tai from behind. She placed her hand on Tai's right shoulder.

"Who Tai?" Sora asked, "Who's back."

Tai looked at Sora with a scared look on his face.

"Apoclymon."

**But this time,**

The Dark Jester jumped off from the high point of the rooftops and descended below to the dark streets.

**In order todefeat darkness,**

The clown fought off an army of dark figured Digimon. With only knives at his disposal, against Digimon with swords.

**Send darkness against them.**

The Dark Jester stood before the human figure that claimed to be Apoclymon.

"It ends here." The clown said.

The two faced off in a sword fight, slashing, blocking, and dodging.

**THE DARK JESTER**

**Give Darkness a piece of their own kind.

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**

**Send me a review please. The first chapter should be up in a while.**


	2. Of Nightmares and Lost Love

**Welcome to Chapter One of my fanfic. Please sit back and relax as you read this story and see what I have in store for you all. I do not own the Digimon characters, but I own The Dark Jester and his appearance. Unfortunatly for some of you, I will not bring in any of the favorite Digimon. The only Digimon you will see in this fanfic are ones that work for evil.

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**The Dark Jester**

**Chapter One**

**Of Nightmares and Lost Love**

Darkness. It was all that surrounded him. There was no sign of light anywhere, no crack of light, no door to reveal light, not even a simple small candle. It was pitch black. He waved his hand in front of his face, but he couldn't see it. It was too dark to see. From the deepest part of the shadows, a small giggle was heard. The giggle resembled that of a clown's giggle. Nothing evil, but it was scary, considering that it was dark. The giggle kept coming, there was no end to it. Because of the pure darkness, the source of the voice's location was near impossible to trace. Suddenly, to giggling stopped. After a while of silence, the giggle was replaced with a voice.

"You cannot escape from me." The voice said, "Darkness is everywhere. And where they are, so am I."

The voice echoed in the shadows.

"Here's a riddle for your mind. Simple, but fun for my amusement." The voice said,

**"When your eyes are open I am not there,**

**but when they are closed, I'm everywhere.**

**During calm nights I cannot harm you,**

**but when the mind is weak I can consume you.**

**What Am I?"**

He gave no answer to the voice, It wasn't as simple as the voice had said. This was something he didn't know. In time, the voice spoke again.

"Give up?" The voice asked, "Very well, Allow me to give the answer."

The the voice then giggled once more before revealing the answer to the riddle.

"I am your **Nightmare**." The voice then tore throught the darkness, revealing it's face. But there was no face, there was a mask. The mask was evenly divided into three vertical stripes. The middle stripe was in a bright white color while the two stripes outside, were black. A dent in the mask, going from one side of the face to the other revealed the mouth, a largely grinning mouth. There were no lips on it, just a grin. Two eyes, colored in a bloodred tint, were on the mask. Also from the shadows, two purple gloved hands came out. The clown faced riddler laughed hysterically before reaching out to pounceat him.

Tai awoke from the darkness of his sleep. Cold sweat began to race down his forehead. He looked out the window, it was a few minutes past sunrise. He looked over to the bed that rested across the room. His roommate had already woken up. Tai wiped the sweat off his face and started to breathe deeply. At this time, his roommate came into the room, with a laptop in his right hand and a bottle of water in his left.

"Hey Tai, I can see that you're up." He said.

"Hey Izzy." Tai replied.

Izzy could tell that something was wrong with Tai. Being his roommate in college fornearly a year, Izzy knew well when Tai was feeling good or not. It started to affect Tai's focus in classes and his physical fitness, he doesn't go out to play soccer as much as he used to.

"Was it the nightmare again?" Izzy asked.

"It never changes." Tai said, "Its like watching a Christmas movie rerun."

"I'm sure it'll pass in time." Izzy said, "Nothing lasts forever."

"You told me that last month." Tai said, "Its beenyears since I've been getting these nightmares."

"You think it could be a sign?" Izzy asked, "Repeated dreams like this could always predict the future."

"I don't know." Tai replied, "I don't think a clown's gonna pounce at me in the middle of the night."

"That's not what I mean." Izzy said, "What if this clown is a sign. A sign of what might happen later on."

Tai took this moment to go into deep thought. What could the dreams mean? What significance is this clown in his dreams? It was the fourth aniversary since the day MaloMyotismon was defeated and since then, these nightmares poured into his mind, torturing him, haunting him. Why him? What did he do to deserve this? For half a year, he pondered and stressed over this question, never getting an answer for it, not even a sign of hope that it would someday stop.

"Tai, you know, its Saturday." Izzy pointed out, "How about we go hang out with the others?"

"Sure, why not?" Tai replied, "Anything to get this night out of my head. You didn't tell anyone else about this did you?"

"Of course." Izzy answered, "I promised. Not even your sister knows."

* * *

Tai and Izzy walked down the park, heading towards a group of people that were gathered around, under a tree. 

"Hey guys." one of the younger girls called out, "Tai and Izzy are here."

She got up and ran towards the two and embraced Tai in a big hug.

"I missed you Tai." She said.

"So did I Kari." Tai replied, "How's everything at home?"

"Its going well." Kari answered, "I changed your room into Gatomon's own room."

"Why doesn't that surprise me." Tai muttered.

"How have you been doing Tai?" Kari asked.

"Pretty much the same." Tai replied.

"Even that one issue?" Kari knew perfectly well of Tai's desire.

(Flashback)

_Tai waited outside in the cold night. The streetlights that shined out a blurry gold light illuminated Tai as he stood under it. Next to him, an orange lizard-Digimon stood next to him, shivering and breathing into his claws._

_"Tai, its cold, what are we doing out here?" Agumon asked._

_"I'm waiting for Sora." Tai answered, "We'll be inside in no time."_

_Tai looked in the distance of the dark. He saw a Sora, dressed in a blue jacket and scarf, wlking towards him. She held what seemed to be a box._

_"There she is." Tai said._

_Sora approuched Tai. She gave him a warm smile._

_"Hi Tai." Sora said, "What are you doing out here?"_

_"I was waitng for you." Tai replied, "I just wanted to know if you were going to Matt's concert with anyone?"_

_"Oh." Sora gave a small look of guilt._

_"What?" Tai asked, "What did I say wrong?"_

_"You see, I was hoping to make myself available for Matt." Sora replied._

_"Oh." That was all that came out of Tai, "I see."_

(End of Flashback)

"Tai?"

"Huh?" Tai woke back up into reality.

"Are you alright?" Kari asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Tai said, "Don't worry about me. Let's make this a good day."

* * *

The whole gang hung out at the park, near the soccer field. While the boys played soccer, the girls sat by a nearby tree, under the shade to cheer them on. Tai made constant looks over to Matt as he and Sora shared small glances at eachother and smiled. Tai couldn't handle this. Tai felt his heart begin to clench, he felt his mind twist and squeeze, torturing him, and then, the laugh of the dark clown entered his mind. 

"Tai?" Izzy looked over at him, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Tai replied, "I'm fine."

"Its the nightmare again isn't it?" Izzy asked.

"Don't worry about it." Tai said, "It'll go away soon."

But it didn't, for the whole day, the sound of the clown kept haunting him. Even when Tai wanted to enjoy the happy moments, the evil laugh ruined it all. Tai couldn't make it go away, no matter what he did. He even resorted to drinking on certain nights. Luckily, he never took too much, he took enough to hopefully forget about the bad stuff of that day and make it back to his dorm alive. That day finally ended when the sun setted behind the apartments of Odaiba. They all gathered around the park, preparing for their goodbyes.

"I guess this is it." TK said.

"We should do this more often." Davis said, "We don't see eachother that often anymore."

"I agree." Cody replied.

"How about next week?" Matt asked, "My dad's going off for a business trip and I have the house for three nights."

"Sounds good to me." Sora said, giggling.

"Works for me." Joe said.

"All in favor?" TK asked.

Everyone agreed on the date. They all went their seperate ways, heading home. Tai saw that Matt and Sora were walking together. This was painful to him. Though he didn't want to see this, he had the urge to follow them and see what they were going to do. As the couple walked down the park path, Tai followed them off the trail, hiding behind the bushes and trees. He finally followed them to Sora home. Tai prayed that nothing would happen and thatMatt would leave with a simple goodbye.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Matt asked.

"Definitly." Sora pulled Matt towards herself and embraced him in a deep passionate kiss.

Tai looked in horror as he saw the one person he could ever love be taken away by him with the kiss. Of course the two were dating for two years now, but Tai didn't have the time to focus on them, considering all the work he had to do in college. It was over, Tai knew fo sure, nothing would seperate those two, not even death. As Tai began to sob in grief, a swirl of shadow began to form under him. Before Tai could notice it and react, the dark hole engulfed him and took him in. Tai only reacted with the shortest scream possible, before he disappeared from sight.

* * *

"Where am I?" Tai asked, but there was no response. 

The surrounding was nothing, there was no wall, no door, no light. It suddenly hit him, this was his nightmare. Tai's nightmare was coming to reality. As expected, the laugh of the clown came.

"Who are you?" Tai asked, to the voice, "Why are you ding this to me?"

"This is for what you have done to me many years ago." The voice replied.

"That voice?" Tai responded, "Its no the one in my nightmares. Its..."

"That one and only." From the shadows, the face of the voice appeared.

"Apoclymon." Tai looked in shock to see his enemy once again.

"You see what I have become?" From where Tai was, Apoclymon was greatly deformed, other than the fact that he no longer had the giant block below his waist, his right arm wasn't there and his face was greatly scarred and missing a left eye.

"You did this to me!" He screamed in anger, "And now, I get my revenge."

From the shadows, chained claws popped out and grabbed onto Tai. The sharp blades on the claws cut through his clothes and his skin, causing Tai to scream in pain.

"What's the matter?" Apoclymon asked, "Is the Great DigiDestined of Courage losing his courage?"

The claws released Tai from their grips, but they gave to mercy to Tai, the claws began to swing around and smack Tai. With the darkness surrounding the place, Tai couldn't see where the hits were coming from. The beating continued on and on, bruising Tai and cutting him deeply. As blood began to dripp from the cuts and the stinging pain began to take control, Tai fell to the dark ground.

"Had enough?" Apoclymon asked, "Because I haven't."

The beating resumed, the claws kept swinging and beating Tai as he laid on the floor in pain. The screaming from Tai's throat kept coming, but there was no one else around to hear him in pain.

"No one can save you, boy." Apoclymon screamed in evil joy.

"Not if I say anything against that."

From the pitch black surroundingd, a cut in the blackness came through and a bright white light poured in. The light began to cover the darkness and the light revealed Apoclymon's complete body. He was covered in a black cloak, which covered his waist down. His upper body showed all the scars and the missing right arm.

"How dare you come into my domain!" Apoclymon screamed.

"You have something that belongs to the light." The voice said, "And I intend to take it back."

From the tear in the dakrness, of where the light came in, a robed figure jumped out and took Tai's bloody body.

"You won't escape me that easily!" Apoclymon screamed. He reared up and sent the claws out again, in hopes of attacking the robed figure.

* * *

Tai got up from where he was laying. He breathed deeply as the sunlight poured into the room. Tai found himself covered ith a blanket, lying on the floor of a Japanese-style home. 

"Its good to see that your still alive, Tai."

Tai looked over to the door and saw someone standing there. A tan-robed person stood by the door, wearing his hood, covering his face.

"Gennai?" Tai asked, "Is it you?"

"Yes it is." Gennai replied. He removed the hood from his head, to show his young-adult face.

"Where am I?" Tai asked.

"It doesn't matter now." Gennai answered, "You were very dazed when I found you."

"You mean it actually happened?" Tai asked, "Is he?"

"Yes." Gennai replied, "He's alive, but fortunatly, the torture he gave you wasn't real. It was all in your mind. I had to enter it myself to get you to regain your conciousness."

"But how?" Tai asked, "How could he still be alive? We destroyed him."

"I know you did, but somehow, he regained much of his powers and now, all that is dark and evil, is under his control." Gennai said, "I still don't know how much stronger he he became."

"It felt like my nightmares were coming true." Tai said, thinking back to the last nightmare he had.

"Come with me." Gennai said, "Let's get you some food. When you're done, we'll need to talk about this nightmare."

* * *

Matt and Sora looked over to where they heard the sound of someone screaming. 

"What was that?" Sora asked.

"I don't know." Matt went over to investigate the disturbance.

"What do you see?" Sora asked, "Anything?"

"Nothing." Matt replied, "Absolutely nothing."

"Then where did that scream come from?" Sora asked, "You heard it too didn't you?"

"Yeah, I did." Matt replied, "Listen, I gotta go and clean the place up before my dad gets home from work."

Matt gave Sora a quick kiss on the cheek before he dashed off back home. Before Sora turned back to enter through the doorway of her house, she looked back to where she heard the scream, wondering who it could have been.

* * *

Nighttime approuched and Tai laid on the bed as he waited for Gennai to return. As he waited patiently, the sound of the clown reentered his mind. Following that was the screaming of a darker voice. 

_I will get you! Revenge will be mine!_

It was him, Apoclymon.

"Tai?" Gennai entered the room, "Its time. I'll help you get home."

Tai got up from the mat on the floor and followed Gennai out of the room and to the exit that them both outside. Gennai pulled out a small device and before them, a portal appeared. The portal glowed in a bright rainbow aura, illuminating the walls of Gennai's home.

"Stay close Tai." Gennai instructed, "I don't want you to get lost."

The two entered the portal and in a flash of light, the two men and the portal disappeared from sight.

(One hour later, back in the real world.)

Tai stood next to a figure dressed in a tan brown robe with his hood covering his face. The two stood on the rooftops, staring out into the night sky.

"Since then the nightmares keep coming to me." Tai explained, "Its been a pain to me considering I have other problems."

"What other problems do you have?" Gennai asked.

"Sora." Tai replied, it was the only answer he needed to give for Gennai to understand.

"Ah, I see." Gennai said, "Love. A powerful thing it is. Powerful in good and evil ways. But tell me about this nightmare. What is it like?"

"Everynight, its the same." Tai said, "The face keeps haunting me. A pale face with a look of evil in it's eyes."

In the pitch blackness inside his head, a jokish giggle was heard from within. Tai shuddered as the giggle echoed in the corner of his mind.

"What kind of face was it?" Gennai asked.

From the blackness of Tai's mind, the giggling revealed its face, showing a mask with a large grin on its face. The face popped out of the darkness, now laughing. Tai turned towards Gennai, with a look of fear.

"A clown."

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**Like it? Hate it? Send me a review. Even the smallest of comments can mean alot to me, but no harsh ones please.**


	3. Donning the Mask

**The Dark Jester**

**Chapter Two**

**Donning the Mask**

"A clown you say." Gennai pondered on this, "What did this clown look like?"

"I never saw him completely." Tai began, "My nightmare was always in shadow. All I was able to see was his hands and his face, or mask."

"A mask." Gennai pondered, "Did this mask have any significant features?"

"It was black and white, with blood red eyes." Tai replied, "And a giant grin on its face."

"Oh my." Gennai said, "I know this face all too well."

"How?"

"There is a story that all the Digimon know. It goes like this." Gennai explained.

(The Story)

**In a time, before the DigiDestined were prophesized to ever appear,**

_A mass army of Devimon and LadyDevimon flew over a Yokomon village, burning the homes. From another location, some SkullGreymon were attacking a village in the mountains, fireing their orange missiles that were on their backs. In another location, a school of Gesomon and MarineDevimon attacked a village on the shores of a beach._

**Evil Digimon roamed the world, attacking all that was good and pure.**

_As these evil Digimon attacked the homes, several of the defenseless Digimon were deleted by the attacks. The evil Digimon only laughed at their success. The villages burned as the poor Digimon ran from the damage. At the mountains, the SkullGreymon continued to attack the mountain village, inhabitted by Gotsumon. One Gotsumon was being chased by a SkullGreymon. As he ran, he tripped over a slab of stone and fell in the dirt. As he got up, he looked back, seeing that the SkullGreymon was too close. The SkullGreymon slowly reared its head up, preparing to unleash a breath of fire._

**But there was one Digimon that had the power to stand up to all of this evil.**

_As SkullGreymon unleashed the firebreath, Gotsumon closed his eyes, not wanting to face his deletion. As the flames came close, a dark purple aura of energy consumed the flames and eliminated it. Gotsumon opened his eyes and found himself held in the arms of a black cloaked figure. The figure looked down on the Gotaumon, showing his face, which resembled the mask of the clown in Tai's nightmare. The clown wore a pair of black pants with a dark grey shirt, dark enough to resemble black. He wore very dark purple gloves and boots, with a black hat and a purple feather(the hat looks like the kind themusketeers wear but somewhat smaller). He had four ninja swords strapped on his back, the cape covered the sword, only showing the handles over the cape._

**This Digimon was unknown to all, but he possessed great strength and brought down the evil.**

_The clown Digimon put down Gotsumon and jumped at SkullGreymon. The SkullGreymon lunged forward to try and bite him, but the clown pressed his feet on its upper jaw and jumped over the strike. The clown unsheathed one sword and dropped to the head of SkullGreymon, the sword met with the bone head and pierced through it. The clown then jumped off the head and landed on the orange fish missile, grabbing onto the fin of the missile. He took the sword he previously used and stabbed the body of the missile and ripped through the cover. He then pulled out a small pebble-sized item and dropped it into to hole. He jumped off the SkullGreymon and landed over to the Gotsumon._

_"What's going on?" The Gotsumon asked._

_"Stay down." that was all the clown said. He used his cape and covered the Gotsumon and himself with it._

_The SkullGreymon looked back at his fish missile and saw that some small hole was made on it. Without time to react, the missile exploded, destroying the SkullGreymon. The clown got up, looking down on the Gotsumon._

_"When the sun rises, come back to the village." The clown then ran off towards the village, and the remaining SkullGreymon._

* * *

_A Devimon swooped down from the sky, preparing to attack one more village hut in the Yokomon village. As he dived down and came close, he felt a metal blade cut through him. All the nearby Devimon and LadyDevimon saw that one of their own was attacked. The Devimon fell down to the ground, showing a blackcaped figure, holding out a sword._

_"You've caused enough trouble here." The figure said. He turned around and showed his face, which happened to be a mask._

_"You're going to pay for that." one of the LadyDevimon snarled._

_The clown unsheathed a second sword and grinded the two blades together._

_"I show no mercy to evil." The clown said, "Whether or not they are women."_

_The Devimon and LadyDevimon charged at the clown. He pointed his two swords forward and charged at them. He brought the swords to his side and sliced through the army of demon Digimon. When he made it to the other side, they all fell to the ground, none of them were left standing. Those that were in the sky, saw all this and in anger, dived down to attack._

* * *

_As more MarineDevimon and Gesomon swam closer to the beach village, a Submarimon was heading towards them with a black cloaked figure standing on top of it._

_"You can go no further." The clown called out, "You will not reach the sands of this island."_

_The MarineDevimon and Gesomon laughed as they saw only him and a Submarimon in their way._

_"Who are you to deny us passage?" One of the Gesomon asked._

_"You need not to know." He replied, "My name will mean nothing when you face deletion."_

_He unsheathed his swords and jumped off the Submarimon. As he jumped up, the Submarimon launched a torpedo at the Digimon. The Digimon shielded themselves from the oncoming fire, giving the clown enough time to make a sneak attack. He descended down to a nearby Gesomon and pierced his sword right through the head. The Gesomon fell and gave the clown a small island to stand on._

_"Come and get it." The clown taunted with a giggle._

* * *

_The clown stood over the large heap of what was left of the SkullGreymon. The fires had settled and the surviving Gotsumon emerged from hiding to thank their savior. They all look in glory to the one who has saved them from the attacking SkullGreymon._

_"You saved us and we are forever grateful." One of the Gotsumon said._

_"I only did what must be done." The clown replied._

_"Tell us who you are." The Gotsumon asked._

* * *

_The field was filled with the lifeless bodies of the Devimon and LadyDevimon. One by one, the bodies slowly digitized into deletion. The Yokomon came out from their hiding places and jumped for joy._

_"We have been saved!" They all cheered, "Thank you!"_

_"I accept your thanks, but I must be going." The clown replied, "There is still more for me to do."_

_"Wait!" They all cried, "Who are you?"_

* * *

_The MarineDevimon and Gesomon all floated away from the shore as their bodies began to delete themselves. On the shore, the villagers came out of their homes to see the aftermath of the battle. Betamon, Crabmon and Bukamon came out to show their graditude to the clown._

_"There is still more evil out there." The clown said, "And will not rest until they are all gone."_

_"Who are you?" One of the Crabmon asked, "We must know."_

* * *

_"My name is Saji_(Saw-ji)_." The clown replied, "The Dark Jester."_

(End of Story)

"You think this Dark Jester is what haunts me?" Tai asked

"By the description you give me, it appears so." Gennai replied, "But the reason why he haunts your dreams, I cannot understand."

"Then what can I do?" Tai asked.

"This may be a sign of your future." Gennai replied, "The future is sometimes shown to you in ways you do not expect."

"What are you saying?" Tai asked, "I'm gonna end up being some psycho?"

"Trust my words Tai." Gennai then dug his hands into his sleeves, searching for something. He pulled out a small bag.

"What is it?" Tai asked.

"Don't open it yet." Gennai said, "A time will come when you need to make choices, and one time will require you to look into that bag for the answers."

Tai held onto the bag, he didn't know what was in it, but he chose to obey Gennai's request, he'll look inside when he knows it feels right to. Tai turned back and looked at the night sky, up at the stars. The voice of the clown continued to echo in his mind.

"Tai?" Gennai asked, "Is it him?"

"Yes." Tai replied, "It still haunts me."

"He has his methods." Gennai said, "You'll understand it someday."

* * *

Now its been a total of two weeks and Tai took it to himself to avoid everyone. He was in no mood to talk to people, not even his sister. he locked himself in his dorm room and never came out. Izzy was the only one who was able to be in the same room with him. On this certain night, the door knocked. 

"I'll get it." Izzy said.

Tai simply grunted from Izzy's answer. Izzy went to the door and answered it.

"Oh, hey Matt." Izzy said, "And hi Sora."

"Hi Izzy." Matt said, "Are you and Tai busy tonight?"

"Well, I am." Izzy said, "But maybe Tai..."

Tai immedietly picked up a shoe that was near his bed and threw it across the room, at Izzy. The shoe hit him right at the back of his head, but Izzy gave no reaction.

"Uh..yeah, he's gonna be busy too." Izzy said, "Sorry guys."

"No problem." Matt said, "So I guess its just us."

"Let's go then." Sora smiled.

Izzy closed the door and walked back over to Tai.

"You're taking this a little too far Tai." Izzy said, "You can't ignore them forever."

"I can try." Tai said, "So what if I lose a few friends."

"They're more then just friends Tai." Izzy said forcefully, "They're family."

"Screw this." Tai grunted, "I'm going out."

"Where?" Izzy asked.

"Anywhere, but here." Tai replied in anger. He took the bag that Gennai gave him and shoved it in a knapsack. He took some snacks with him and some money, shoving it all in the bag as well.

He slammed the door behind him and stormed down the hall. He made his way outside, walking down the street. He looked towards the parking lot and noticed that Matt and Sora were there. The two were entering a navy blue convertible car. The sides had a bright white and light blue strak of lightning on it and a spoiler was on the back.

"That asshole." Tai muttered, "Rich-ass singer and his expensive car."

He saw the Matt and Sora get in the car and drive off. Tai couldn't help but follow them again. _What good will it do? I don't know why i should see this, it'll just hurt me some more._

Tai suddenly felt his body take over him. He felt his feet moving, following the car. It was far away, but Tai couldn't stop. He continued to follow the car, running. Tai finally made it to where they were going. It was a Sushi Restaurant. _Hey, I love it here._

Tai slowly went to the window, panting from the long running. He was surprised that he made it this far. He watched through the window, hiding in the darkness. Matt and Sora got to their table and held their menus up. Sora was definitly having a good time, she was smiling, and so was Matt.

"Why did I come here?" Tai asked himself.

"Hey you." A voice said.

Tai turned around and saw a man, wearing a pair of black pants, a white shirt and a black apron with the Restaurant's sign on it.

"You gonna come in?" He asked.

"Oh no...sorry." Tai backed away from the window and walked off. _This sucks balls._

Tai walked down the dark street, alone. He walked past many people, some of them being in couples. Tai was beinging to feel more glum from the sight. Why did Sora have to choose Matt? Why not him? He's known her for a longer time? Why? As Tai continued to walk, he heard the sound of someone screaming. Tai heard it coming from the alley that was ahead of him. He ran to the corner of the wall and peeked in. There were a group of men, probably five, all surrounding a teenage girl. She had dark brown hair that was shoulder length.

_Kari?_ Tai was in shock. These gang members were about to rape his sister, _Where's TK?_

He looked in the pile of trash that was a little deeper in the alley and saw a body in the trash. With the white hat, Tai could tell that was TK. _This isn't good._ Tai had to do something, but what? He couldn't just go there and fight them, they'll kick his ass and take Kari. Even if he did beat them all, if they are part of a big gang, they'll probably go after him. He needed a disguise. Suddenly it hit him. He reached into his bag, digging through the candy bars and he took out the small bag that contained the mask. Maybe this was the moment that Gennai was talking about. Tai's question right now is; _How can I save my sister without them seeing me?_ This is the answer.

"This won't be enough." Tai said to himself.

He looked around near him. There had to be something he could use to cover his body. Something that would cover his casual wear. With Kari screaming and the sound of the goons laughing, Tai had to be quick. He found a garbage bag that seemed to have old clothes. He took i quickly, without being seen by the goons and ripped it open. He searched through the clothes and found the perfect set. Black pants, black flanel, black stetson(if you don't know what this word is, go to this site; www . en . wikipedia . org / wiki / Stetson remove the spaces.) and a large black table cloth. It was perfect. He took the black clothing and quickyl ran to a payphone. He lifted the reciever and dialed a three-digit number; 911.

"Help!" Kari began to scream, "Please!"

"Oh come on." One of them said, "It'll be over soon."

One of them grabbed Kari by wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. The others began to touch her, massaging her breast and kissing her while she resisted. As Kari continued to try and resist, one of them grabbed Kari's shirt and ripped the material. Now, they had a helpless tennage girl, in a white-laced bra and cream shorts.

"Nice tits." One of them said, as he continued to massage them, hoping to get a moan from her as he squeezed them.

"Get off me!" Kari reared her head back, knocking the goon in the nose. He lost her grip of Kari's waist and fell back. Kari tried to run, but one of them grabbed her by her hair.

"Not so fast." He threw Kari to the ground.

One of them kneeled on Kari's shoulders while another one of them took his hand and traveled it up Kari's legs, until it reached the point where they both met. He began to rub the spot, while Kari was lying on the dirty ground crying. He reached his hand inside her shorts, past the thin material that stood between the shorts and Kari's secret. He continued to rub the intamite spot of Kari as she continued to cry. This isn't what she wanted, she didn't want to have it like this. She felt her inside get warm and wet. Trying to fight it, she couldn't, the liquid of her inside came out and damped her. She gave a moan from the feeling, but it wasn't a moan of pleasure. The one who was kneeling on Kari's shoulders got up and grabbed her face. He then brought his lips to hers and harshly kissed her. Kari used her free arm to grabb his hair and pull him away.

"Ow. You bitch." He raised his hand and smacked her with the back of his hand.

"I think you've done quite enough." a voice said. The voice resembled a combination of Hugo Weaving and Gerard Butler. The accent in the voice was clear.

"What the hell?" They all stopped what they were doing to see where the voice came from.

A dark caped figure stepped out to reveal himself. He stood there, clad in a black cape, covering the black clothes that he wore. His black stetson covered his face.

"I believe she doesn't want to have this 'bit of fun', as you would call it." The figure said.

"Who the hell are you?" One of them asked.

"Allow me to introduce myself then." The voice said. He lifted his face, revealing the mask he wore. Inside the mask, Tai gave them a look of anger, _I should kill you for raping my little sister._

**"When your eyes are open I am not there,**

**but when they are closed, I'm everywhere.**

**During calm nights I cannot harm you,**

**but when the mind is weak I can consume you.**

**What Am I?"**

The goons got up, leaving the half-naked Kari on the ground. They slowly approuched the dark figure.

"Give up? Very well, here is the answer. I am your **Nightmare**." He said, "I am **Saji, The Dark Jester**."

He jumped forward and landed a punch on the first goon he hit. Bad move, he was now surrounded by them.

"You crossed the line now clown." One of them said. Some of them pulled out switchblades.

Tai began to feel a strange sensation. He somehow felt the mask talk to him, telling him what to do.

_Attack the one to your left first._ Tai did as the voice instructed; he side-kicked the goon to his left and he was sent flying to the brick wall.

_Now jump to the one in front of you._ Tai jumped up and landed on the one in front of him. Without being told by the voice, Tai punched him several times, knocking him out.

_Behind you._ Tai quickly got up and twisted his body, giving him room to elbow to goon behind him on his right temple. He fell to the ground. This only left one more.

"I'm gonna kill you bitch!" He ran at Tai, with his knife in his hand.

_Duck._ Tai ducked, dodging a stab. _Now grab the wrist._ Tai lifted his right arm up and grabbed the wrist. He got up and twisted the wrist, disarming the grip on the knife.

"Prepare to be haunted." He said. He then punched him hard on the nose and he fell. The blood from the punch slowly dripped out of his nose, as he was lying on the ground, "For your nightmare has found you."

Tai looked over to Kari. She seemed hesitant when he slowly approuched her.

"Please don't hurt me." Kari begged.

"I'm not here to hurt you, my dear girl." He said, "As you can see, I saved you."

"I'm sorry, but I'm a little..."

"I know." He interupted, "First time being sexually assaulted; terrible thing. I understand that you frightened by strangers at this time."

He continued to walk up to Kari. He took his cape and wrapped it around her. She eagerly took it, wanting to cover her skin.

"Keep an eye on your friend." He said, "The police whould be here soon."

He turned to walk away. This was a good feeling. Tai saved his sister and TK. Is this how a hero felt?

"Wait." Kari called. He turned around and looked at her with the red eyes, "Thank you."

Saji simply nodded and walked off. Now Tai had another problem. How is he gonna get out of this costume without drawing attention?


	4. Need of Assistance

**The Dark Jester**

**Chapter Three**

**Need of Assistance**

The sound of an alarm clock rang and woke up a dazed chocolate-color haired teen. Tai slammed the clock and covered himself with his blanket. It was a long night, Tai was lucky to actually have some sleep at this time. Tai closed his eyes again to drift off into dreamland, but it didn't last long. Izzy came into the room and slammed the door closed.

"Where have you been Tai?" Izzy asked.

"Here's the answer from the magic 8-ball." Tai muttered from under his blanket, "Ask Again Later."

"I'm not joking Tai." Izzy walked over to his bed and pulled the blanket off.

Tai instantly curled up. He was wearing a pair of black shorts with no shirt on. "Hey, what gives?" Tai asked.

"You were out all night." Izzy said, "What did you do? Did you ruin Matt's date with Sora?"

"No." Tai said. He got up and rubbed his eyes, "Something came up."

"What?"

Tai then remembered. "My sister was getting raped that night."

"What?" Izzy was in shock. Tai's little sister was attacked that night, "How'd you find out?"

"I was walking off, leaving Matt and Sora alone. On my way back, I walked by an alleyway and Kari was there, being attacked." Tai said, "TK was knocked out, so he couldn't help."

"So you did?" Izzy asked, "How did you do it? You've never fought in this situation before and you should have a few cuts from it."

"That's why I need to show you something." Tai took his bag and reached into grab a particular item.

* * *

Kari sat on a chair next to a hospital bed. TK was lying on the bed, with a bandaid wrapped around his head. A doctor came in and Kari instantly got up. 

"How is he?" Kari asked, "Will he be alright?"

"He'll be fine." The doctor replied, "But we cannot let anyone else come in. Anything that could distrupt his rest could affect his recovery."

"What about me?" Kari asked.

"You've been coooperative for now, I can allow you." The doctor said, "But if he has any friends or family members, then they can't come in. Well, not yet."

"Alright." Kari sat back down on the chair, resting her arms on the side of the bed.

As Kari continued to watch TK in his sleep, she began to remember the night before. Who was that mysterious person? Where did he come from? These questions entered her mind, making her tired. She decided to rest her head on the bed for a few minutes.

* * *

"So you're saying that the clown in your nightmares is a Digimon, and Gennai helped you to face this fear?" Izzy asked. 

"Pretty much." Tai answered, "And I gotta tell you, it felt good."

"What do you plan to do?" Izzy asked, "If Gennai is right and Apocalymon is out there, something has to be done. We have to do something."

"No, _I_ have to do something." Tai corrected, "They're no match for him now."

"Neither are you." Izzy said, "We had trouble the first time we fought him."

"I can manage." Tai said, "Besides, I have Saji by my side."

"But you can't do this alone." Izzy said, "We need to tell the others."

"No, don't." Tai said, "I told you all this for a reason."

"What reason is that?" Izzy asked.

"I could use your help."

* * *

Kari left the hospital. The doctors had told her that TK should be back to normal by tomorrow night and that he should be alone for the rest of the day. As Kari exited to doors of the hospital, Matt and Sora were outside, waiting for her. 

"How is he?" Matt asked.

"He'll be fine." Kari said, "But he doesn't look to good right now."

"I'm sure he'll manage." Sora said. She walked to Kari and hugged her tightly, "I'm also glad that you're alright too."

"So am I." Kari responded.

"You told us that someone saved you." Matt said, "Who?"

"I don't know." Kari replied, "I never saw his real face. He had a mask."

"A mask?" Sora asked, "What kind of person would wear a mask?"

"A crazy person." Matt answered, "For all we know, he'll attack Kari when she least expects it."

"But he saved me." Kari said, "That's enough for me to know that he's a good guy."

"We'll have to wait and see." Sora said, "If he shows up again, someone will find out what he's done."

* * *

"You must be joking right?" Izzy asked, "You want me to be your technical supplier?" 

"Why not?" Tai asked, "Batman had one."

"But he's not real." Izzy said, "Neither is Superman or Wonder Woman."

"You're missing my point." Tai said, "I need your help. My alias is going to be a clown and as a clown, I need some tricks up my sleeves. I need you to give me those tricks."

"But what kind of tricks do you want?" Izzy asked.

"You mean you'll do it?"

"No, that's not what I meant..."

"Too late genious." Tai said, "You're hired."

"But what about school? We're college students." Izzy said, "And this is something I care about."

"We have a whole summer to do nothing." Tai said, "Now can you help me, or not?"

"...alright." Izzy muttered, "What do you need?"

Tai simply grinned from the question. He had many things on his mind.

* * *

Matt's car was parked on the curb of Kari's apartment. The three were inside, keeping Kari company. Matt and Sora chose to say with Kari for as long as she needed, since TK couldn't be with her for the night. 

"Where's Tai?" Matt asked, "Why isn't he here for you?"

"I really don't know." Kari replied, "He hasn't told me anything new since last year."

"What kind of brother is he?" Matt asked, "His sister is in distress and he's not there for her."

"Watch your mouth, asswipe." A voice said from the entrance.

All three of them looked over and saw Tai standing there. "Sorry I'm late, but Izzy needed me for something."

"Hey Tai." Sora smiled.

"Hi." Tai smiled back, "How's TK?"

"He's doing fine." Kari answered, "He'll be better soon."

"I heard abut what happened this morning." Tai said, "Are you serious about what they told me? Did some dude in a mask actually save you?"

"Yes." Kari replied, "And I am grateful that he did, regardless of how odd the appearance was."

"I'm just glad your stillalive." Tai said, "The thought of losing my sister at this age...I don't even want to think about it anymore."

Tai gave Kari a hug and held her tightly.

"Ahhhh. Tai's sweet spot's back." Matt grinned.

"Fuck you." Tai smirked.

"Watch the language boys." Kari said, "And Tai, I can't breathe."

Tai released his grip and let ari sit back down on the sofa.

"Well, since Tai's here, I don't think you need us anymore." Sora said, "We'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye guys." Kari said.

Matt and Sora both left the room and left Tai with his sister. The room was pretty silent. The parents weren't in the house and their cat was sleeping.

"Aren't you gonna go back to school?" Kari asked.

"Nah. I'll stay here for the night." Tai said, "After what happened last night, you need all the company you can get."

"Thanks." Kari smiled.

* * *

Nighttime came. Many expect Odaiba to be completely populated, but they are very wrong. There's one place in the city where no one goes to, well, not anymore. Reason being; it was the site where one of the greatest battles ever occured. It was the location where MaloMyotismon first appeared. It was a sight of destruction and ruin. With the amount of damage, no contruction was considered. It would have taken years to clean up the mess and rebuild, and it wasn't worth the time. This was the perfect location for one being. The only building that was standing was the remains of a warehouse, it was perfect. The creature stood in the center of the abandoned building, looking at the ruins. 

"This shall be my base of operation." He said, "Now all I need is time, time to prepare for my attack and to prepare my troops."

Through the darkness, the moonlight shined through the holes on the walls. The light hit the figure, revealing his form. It was him, Apocalymon. All the parts of his body that were destroyed were replaced with a skeleton limb. The legs were covered by a black robe, but the boney feet were seen.

"They will pay for what they did to me." He growled. His eyes became blood-red with anger and lust for revenge.

* * *

Tai took the time to stay with Kari for a good week. It felt great to be back home, but the fact that his room was now Gatomon's, Tai had to sleep on the couch. Things were feeling great, the old familiar events happening at home made Tai feel warm inside; his mother with the awkward cooking, his father always leaving early and coming home late, his sister flirting with TK on the phone, He missed it all. During one afternoon, the phone rang and the person calling was someone new. 

"Tai, its for you." Kari called out from her room.

"Got it." Tai called back, "Hello?"

"Tai, its Izzy." He replied, "Its all ready."

"How's it look?" Tai asked.

"That's for you to decide." Izzy said, "Now hurry up. The janitor's gonna get suspicious as to who's in this place."

"What?"

"Just get to the garden shed outside the football field." Izzy said.

* * *

"Now tell me why you told me to come to this garden shed." Tai asked as he entered the room. 

"Cause I totaled the other one." Izzy said as he locked the door.

"You did what?" Tai saked stunned.

"I'll explain later." Izzy said, "Now, here it is."

Izzy pulled away a cloth to reveal the contents of what was underneath.

* * *

(For the sake of typing, I'm going to desribe the costume as if it was on wikipedia.) 

The costume had casual types of clothing for the appearance, but it was picked to match the scene of darkness. Since that was the case, the color of the clothes was black or a gray color close to black. Theshirt was a dress shirt in a solid gray-near-black color and the pants were solid black dress pants. The stetson was solid black and had a large dark purple feather on the right side of the hat.

The boots were also solid black and they reached up to about 4-to-5 inches below the knee. The sole of the boot sheathes a blade. The material is made of a strong unbreakable metal, possibly only diamonds and scratch it. The blades are strong enough to peirce a clean hole through thick concrete, which is good for scaling walls. The mechanism for sheathing and unsheathing the blades is on the sides of the heels. By clicking the heels twice, the blades and unsheathe, as well as retract, depending on where the blades are.

(I am unable to find the names for these gloves, but here is what they look like. Remember to remove the spaces in between.www . leatherglovesonline . com / pages2 / rcmp . jpg). The gloves were solid black and had a metal wristband. This was put on the gloves for the use of the grappling cable. The cable is made of a combination of titaium metal and an adhesive plasma. The cable is able to be shot out from the forearm. The tip of the cable is able to stick to any surface, due to its adhesive plasma. The tips of the fore fingers on the gloves have unlimited nano-acid, which reacts with the titanium plasma. This allows the Dark Jester to break off the cable. When that is done, the tip of that cable becomes very adhesive, until it's stuck to a surface The nano-acid only reacts with the titanium-plasma cable, which means it'll do no damage to anything else whatsoever.. The thumbs and middle finger of the gloves have unlimited flintstone dust injected into it. By snapping the fingers, the flintstone dust reacts and creates a giant cloud of smoke, a perfect tool for one of those 'disappear in a cloud of smoke' tricks.

The costume also comes withsix swords. They are strapped to the back, with the hilts being the only visible things. The cape covered the rest of the swords. There are holes on the cape, near the neck, so that the sword sheathes are concealed, but the hilts are still in sight for the user to grab hold of. These are ordinary ninja swords and have to special additions. Each sword was different, giving Tai the use of many different weapon styles. There was a ninja sword, a katana, a Kung-fu sword, a rapier, a Taichi sword, and a crusader sword. The arrangements were put so that the swords were equally balanced on Tai's shoulders.

Like all heros, they need something to contain their equipment, well, small equipment. That's what a utility belt is for. This one is a dark grey metal, which doesn't reflect light. The buckle has an image of two knives crossing blades engraved on it. There are compartments on the left side of the belt which house shuriken(ninja stars.) There's a panel on the right side, next to the buckle that contains detonators.A small cylindrical device that is placed next to the panel is the remote for the small bombs. These explosives are very small, half the size of a dime, but they have enough power to completely destroy one average sized room. Throughout the entire belt, there are knife handles attached. They are actually telescoping knives. The blades are inside the handle and can slide out by twisting the hilt/gaurd. The back of the belt has a device that allows the Dark Jester to be the only one to use this. The back of the belt has a finger/thumbprint scanner. By scanning the finger/thumb, the belt will lock or unlock, so that only Tai can put the belton or take it off.

And last, but not least, there's the mask. Unfortunately, not much is known about it. Izzy has done nothing to it. So far, Tai discovered that wearing it, it gives him an english accent.

* * *

"And as you can tell, that explains the destruction of the other garden shed." Izzy said. 

"You blew it up?" Tai asked, somewhat amazed from all the gadgets on his costume.

"I needed to test the detonators out." Izzy said.

"Where did you even get all this stuff?" Tai asked, "How much did you spend? Like 10,000?"

"Well let's see." Izzy began to think back, "I had all the ingredients to make homemade detonators, I knew how to make remote controls for almost anything, I know how to make paintball guns, my mother once worked at a Salvation Army site, I happen to know how to weld. I have lots of metal. So if I guess this right, I spent around 1000 american dollars."

"Why american?" Tai asked.

"You realize how hard it was to get my hands on the utility belt that was used in the Batman Begins movie?" Izzy asked, "It took my days. I actually had to call people."

"You're saying that this belt is the exact same one used in the Batman movie?" Tai asekd shocked.

"You bet." Izzy said, "It would have been a simple $400 price, but since they needed it for their sequel, I needed to pay themdouble as a bribe. The extra 200 was needed for them to get materials to make another one for the movie sequel."

"A sequel?" Tai asked, "Holy shit. I can't wait for it to come out."

"Can we discuss about this right now?" Izzy asked pointing to the suit, "Unfortunatly, I wasn't able to make it bulletproof, that would have been more money. And I don't want to be broke at this age."

"So I guess everything's done?" Tai asked.

"You bet." Izzy said, "But do kinda suggest one thing."

"What?" Tai asked.

Izzy simply smiled as he took out a pair of scissors and a comb. Tai looked in confusion as to what Izzy was planning. The college students that were nearby could only remember hearing the sound of a teenage male screaming as they heard another one yelling 'Hold Still!'. They all simply thought that there was a gay rapist in there with his victim.

"What's the big idea?" Tai screamed, "You cut my hair!"

"I figured a new look might be nice." Izzy answered, "You could sure use one. I don't think a chick wants to date a guy with a raincloud as hair."

"Very funny." Tai said, "How does it look?"

"Check the mirror." Izzy gave Tai a small hand mirror for Tai to look at.

He brought the mirror to his face and examined the new look. The puffy look was now gone and left a completely new look. His hair was brought backand slicked down. The slick left several spiked ends which gave Tai a gangster look(picture Hwarange from Tekken 5. Not the one in the white uniform, but the one in the dark green clothing.)

"Oh my god!" Tai screamed. Izzy backed away slowly, he was afraid that he would end up meeting Tai's fist. "I am gorgeous!"

* * *

**Please review.**


	5. A Dark Debut

**Some people have been asking me for a good description of the mask that Tai wears. I had trouble with describing it, but it turned out that there's a picture of the mask on a Yu-Gi-Oh card(Strange,I know, but I'm grateful). For those of you that know your Yu-Gi-Oh, the card's name is Peten the Dark Clown. His mask is the exact same as the one I have for my Jester. Also to note. Because this superhero is a clown, he'll be acting like one. Magic tricks and singing. For this chapter, I do not own the music 'Jack's Obsession' from 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'. I used the music, but I changed the lyrics a little bit.

* * *

**

**The Dark Jester**

**Chapter Four**

**A Dark Debut**

"You got a haircut?" Kari asked, "Why?"

Tai came over to Kari's to check up on her. Since that one night, Tai was very protective of her and wanted her to be safe.

"It was all Izzy's idea." Tai answered, "He was concerned about my appearance to women."

"I had nothing against your old hair." Kari said.

"Yeah right." Tai scoffed, "You'd always make fun of me about how my large hair would block your view."

"That was years ago." Kari said, "I was immature."

"Whatever." Tai said, "I can't go back now. And besides, I like it."

Tai took a quick glance at the mirror that was hung up next to the entry to the kitchen. He turned his head around to look at the sides and as much of the back as possible. He ran his fingers through the new style and smiled at himself.

"You gonna stay for dinner Tai?" Kari asked.

"And have some of mom's cooking?" Tai asked. Kari gave a small look of sarcasm, "Of course."

"Just so you know; I'm gonna be cooking." Kari said, "And you better like it."

"I'll try." Tai smiled.

* * *

Nighttime fell and Tai came back to his dorm room. Izzy was continueing with his studies and Tai simply walked past him. 

"Just so you know, i made your closet into your personal costume hiding place." Izzy said, "I took out the back wall and made some adjustments."

"Really?" Tai walked to the closet and opened it. Nothing.

"You have to slide it open." Izzy said.

"Oh." Tai found a small deep groove in the wall and gripped it. He pulled on it and the wall slid to the side. On the other side of the wall his costume laid, hanging there. The shirt, pants, and cape were hung on a coat hanger, with the boots on the floor right below it. The gloves were rested on a small shelf on the right of the closet, with the belt resting on the shelf below it. The left portion of the cloaset had drawers of many things. Several of them had almost unlimited shurikens and telescoping knives. one drawer had the micro detonators, safely stored in there, to prevent it from exploding from any unexpected movement. The mask was on a maniquin head that was on the top shelf of the closet.

"Nice." Tai said. He grabbed the costume and the belt.

"What are doing Tai?" Izzy asked.

"It's nighttime." Tai said, "Odaiba needs a hero."

Tai suited up and closed the secret closet. He opened the window of his dorm and snuck out, jumping from the window, he landed softly and quietly below and ran through the shadows.

"_Baka_." Izzy muttered.

* * *

"Give me the fucking money!" A masked mugger screamed. He held a gun out to a man, who had his hands up, "I ain't shittin' with you!" 

The man simply stood there, too scared to move, too scared to run, to scared to do anything.

"You mother fucker!" The mugger pulled the trigger and the victim fell to the ground, leaving a small red puddle of his insides.

The mugger searched his pockets, finding a wallet or any sort of cash. He finally found his wallet and opened it.

"Now that's what I'm talkin about." He smiled.

"I'm pretty sure that's not yours." A english accent voice said from the shadows.

"Huh? Who's there?" The mugger asked.

"Would you like a riddle with that?" The voice asked.

"Don't fuck with me!" He screamed.

"Goodness." The voice muttered, "They just don't want the fun part."

He walked out of the shadows of the dark alley and revealed himself. His cape covered his body, only showing his mask and hat.

"Such a poor man you killed." He said, "Such a cruel act, deserves a cruel punishment."

"Oh yeah?" The mugger asked, "What you got? I got this!"

He pulled his gun out and aimed it at the clown.

"Don't you know who I am?" the clown asked, "I am Saji, the Dark Jester."

Saji unsheathed his _Dao_ and his _Katana_. The two curved blades reflected the light from the distant streetlamp. He held the the _Dao_, diagonally upward, aligned with his body. The katana was forward, with the blade paralell to his body.

"Do you have any idea what a gun is?" The mugger asked, "Do you have any idea what a gun can do?"

"Well do you have any idea what a clown can do?" Saji asked. The mugger blinked for what seemed like less than a second. When he opened his eyes, he was gone. He the felt a piercing pain on his back, traveling to his chest. He looked down and saw to curved blades of metal coming out of his chest. He then felt the shivering voice of his nightmare whisper into his ears, "Do you have any idea what this fool is capable of?"

Saji pulled the blades out of his body and let the masked mugger fall to the floor.

"Just so the world knows you punished you." Saji took out one of his shurikens and threw it on the mugger;s dead back. The shuriken had the initials 'DJ' engraved on one side and the same engraving on his belt buckle on the other side.

"I think there's more for me to do." Saji raised his right arm up to the tops of the buildings. The cable shot out of his forearm and flew to the top.Saji wrapped the loose cable around his hand and pulled himself up to the top at fast speed.

* * *

Sora was walking down the dark streets alone. She just came from Matt's place after their date. Matt wanted to take her home, but his dad called about an urgent issue. Sora walked down the street, walking past a group of teen men who were smoking. 

"Hey, check her out man." One of them said.

Sora shrugged off the comments made about her and continued walking.

"Hey where you goin' baby?" another one called.

Sora didn't hesitate. She ran. The gangsters followed. They chased Sora and managed to catch up to her. One of them grabbed Sora by her hair and pulled her to the ground. He then grabbed her by her arms and picked her up. Another one picked her up by her legs and they carried her. As they were carrying her off, another one walked along Sora's carried body and grabbed her breasts and squeezed them roughly. From the tops of the buildings, Saji oversaw all this.

"What is it with criminals and dark alleys?" he asked himself, "And of all events, Sora has to raped too?"

"This'll be a night you'll never forget." One of them said.

They threw Sora to a piled of garbage bags and surrounded her. One took out a knife and cut her top off. Sora tried to break free from their grips, but they were too strong.

"Help!" Sora screamed, "Someone please help me!"

No one was there to hear her scream. They threw her back down and worked their way to taking off her skirt and panties. Sora wiggled around to prevent them, but they managed to pull it off.

"No, please stop." Sora begged, "Please."

They didn't listen to her. As two of them grabbed her arms, one of them placed his mouth on her breast. Sucking on the nipple that was there. Sora could only cry as she was being raped. As he continued to suck and lick on her nipple and squeeze the other breast. Another one of them moved down to her legs. He brought his head close to her secret spot and licked his lips.

"Please." Sora continued to beg.

The goon brought his tongue to her clitoris and licked it, darting his tongue wildly inside her, Sora gave a small moan. He dug his tongue deeper inside her, while Sora tried to resist.

"Enough!" A voice boomed.

They all stopped their actions and looked to the streets. Saji stood there.

"What sort of pathetic men do these things?" He asked, "Do you not have any pleasurable company of your own?"

"Who the hell is this shithead?" one of them asked, "Shoot him."

They all got up and took out their guns. They aimed it at Saji and fired. The bullets impacted on the body, but he was still standing. But instead of attacking. The body fell to the ground.

"What the hell?" They walked over to the body, but only found a cape.

"Peekaboo." A voice said from behind.

They turned around but saw nothing. Then, from the darkness, Saji appeared, His cape seemed to have cloaked him, they were able to see through him. Saji flung the cape back and revealed his whole self.

"There he is!" They aimed their guns at him, the sound of their wrists snapping prevented them from pulling the trigger. Saji grabbed the gun and their wrist, and twisted it in a quick motion, disarming them and breaking their wrist.

"You fools and your guns." Saji pulled out one of his knives and stabbed it through one of them. The body hit the ground and the others looked in shock.

"You fucker!" one of them ran at Saji, but his face was met with the blade of the knife. The metal pierced through the face, right in between the eyes.

"You want more?" Saji asked. He took out several shurikens and threw them at the remaining men. The metal stars impacted on their bodies and the blood began to come out, "Keep the stars. It's your ticket to hell."

He stared hard at the last one standing. The two stood their as the lights of cars kept illuminating the dark alley and disappearing. The goon quickly pulled out his gun and aimed it at Saji, but instead of pulling the trigger, he grabbed one of the shuriken that Saji threw and threw it back. Saji ducked and the star hit the brick wall behind him. Saji made no pauses and instantly dove at him.

"Not bad, but not good enough." Saji said.

He then pulled out his knife and plunged it into the goon's chest.

"You can fool others, but you cannot fool a fool." The clown said, "But not just any fool, a jester. A Dark Jester."

He pulled the blade out and let the body hit the dirty ground. of concrete. Saji put the knife back in his belt and looked at Sora.

"Are you hurt?" Saji asked. This was something Tai didn't want to see; Sora half naked from a rape attempt.

"Stay away." Sora back away. Grabbing what was left of her clothes to cover herself, "I know who you are. You're that freak that saved my friend's sister."

"If I saved a friend of yours, then why do you fear me?" Saji asked, "You should be thanking me."

"You killed them." Sora commented, "You killed them in cold blood."

"I think not." Saji corrected, "Cold blood would apply that I massacred reptiles, due to the fact that they are, indeed, cold blooded. I killed humans, but not just any humans, criminals. But you can say that I simply punished them."

"Punished?" Sora asked, "You call that punishment? They have laws, you could go to jail for this."

"I have my own ways of justice." Saji said, "Allow me to explain."

Tai didn't know what this feeling was, he suddenly felt upbeat and wanted to move around like a crazy person. He felt the urge to sing.

"You see..."

_It's simple really, very clear,  
like music drifting in the air.  
Invisible, but everywhere._

Saji threw his cape over him and cloaked himself in invisibility. His voice was still heard and all Sora could do was look around, trying to see where he could be. Could this be a trick? A magic trick, or is it all real?

_Just because you cannot see it,  
doesn't mean you can't believe it._

The cape flung back and Saji revealed himself. Sora found him standing right in front of her. She quickly tensed up and tried to cover herself more with the ripped shirt. _This person has really gone crazy._ She thought.

_You see, this law of justice that they have,  
It's not upheld as they all claim.  
And why should they have all the fun?  
It should belong to anyone._

Sora knew that Saji was refering to the police and he was right about it. The police don't really uphold the law to its best. They would often take nearly forever to get a case solved, sometimes not solving it at all.

_Not anyone, in fact, BUT ME!  
Cause, I succeed, as you can see,  
and there's no reason I can find,  
I couldn't handle all the crime._

Tai felt himself more upbeat, he was really into this, but Tai felt a sort of stupidity for singing like this. Why is he even doing this? He must have gone crazy, but who cares? Tai's alias is a clown, he'll act like one.

_And the law, I could improve indeed!  
I'll laugh at the criminals, as they bleed._

"Hehe, I apologize." Saji said, "I could get very lost in thought when I do that."

"Well, I can see that." Sora said.

"Well, as you probably know from you friend, whom I rescued, my name is Saji." Saji greeted himself by taking his hat off, in respect, "But who am I speaking to?"

"Uh...Sora." She answered.

"Ah, Sora. Such a beautiful name." He said, "No doubt, you have a man in your life now."

"Of course, but what does this have to do with what just happened?" Sora asked, changing the subject, not wanting to get personal.

"My apologies." Saji said, "But let me ask, Sora. Would you like me to accompany you back home?"

"I'd prefer if I went alone." Sora replied.

"Ah, of course." Saji said with a tone of sarcasm, "You were just sexually assaulted, your lover wasn't here to protect you, the assaliants have stripped you of your outerwear and all you have are shoes and your undergarments. Of course you would like to go home alone at this time of night."

All Sora could do was look in disgust at Saji's smiling face/mask. He was right, walking home alone after what just happened, she could might as well walk up to a rapist and let him violate her.

"Well, I guess could use some protection." Sora said, "I may be half naked, but that doesn't mean I can't kick your ass to a pulp."

"I have my respect for women." Saji replied, "You'll be safe in my presence."

Saji offered a hand for Sora to take to get up. Sora took the black-gloved hand and Saji pulled her up. Sora still had a bit of embarrassment, she was half naked and she was with a complete stranger and not just any stranger, but one who is wearing a mask and killed criminals.

"I'm going have to ask you to hold onto me tightly." Saji requested.

"What for?" Sora asked.

Saji didn't answer, he raised his right arm up and fired the metal cable to the rooftops. Saji then brought his left arm around Sora's waist and brought her body close to his. Sora had an uncomfortable feeling, pressing her breasts on him, having him holding her, and the fact that she had no clothes on.

"Hold on tightly." Saji said.

Sora wrapped her arms around him and Saji pulled the cable, shooting them both up.

* * *

"This is so not me." Sora muttered, "I can't belive you stole clothes from a Salvation Army store." 

"It was either that or the trash." Saji said, "And I'm sure you would have prefered my suggestion."

"But you could've at least gotten some clothes for girls." Sora complained.

"It no longer matters." Saji replied, "You're home now."

Sora found herself on the roof of her home. The lights were off, so her mother was asleep. Sora had to get rid of these clothes before her mother find them.

"Thanks." Sora said, "I appreciate your help."

"Like I said." Saji said, "I have my respect for women."

"No, I mean for saving my life." Sora said, "Thank you for that."

"Ah. Well, you're welcome." Saji said, "Allow me to help you inside."

Saji helped Sora to the edge of the roof and let her drop. He caught her hands and slowly brought her to the balcony of her room. Sora's feet touched the ground and she released her grip on him.

_Sleep well Sora._ Tai's thought said.

"You did pretty well." A voice said from behind him.

"Thank you Gennai." Saji replied. He took off his mask and turned around to the robed figure.

"But was it nessecary for you to kill your victims?" Gennai asked, "I personally think it wasn't."

Tai simply smiled at the question and comment. "Well, do you think it was nessecary for Saji to haunt my dreams?" Tai asked back, "I personally think it wasn't."

Gennai didn't answer, he simply looked off into the moonlight. Tai turned around, to see what he was looking at, but noticed it was just the moon.

"Why are you really here?" Tai asked, "I know you didn't come all the way from the Digital World to congratulate me."

"You're right." Gennai answered, "I'm here to tell you about Apocalymon's plan."

"How'd you know about it?" Tai asked, "I'm sure it wasn't easy to get the info."

"Actually, it was." Gennai answered, "I had a confrontation with him. Of course I lost."

"What happened?" Tai asked.

"I found out that he plans to take over a computer company." Gennai explained, "He plans to unleash all the evil Digimon into this world for his revenge. Before he was able to eliminate me, I escaped."

"But wait, what computer company? I don't know where to look." Tai said, "He could be in any computer company."

"You'll have to find that out yourself." Gennai said, "Maybe you should Izzy. Afterall, he knows about your crusade."

"Wait, how'd you know about that?" Tai asked.

"I'm the one who gave you a boost on your hero business." Gennai answered, "Its my job to know these things."

"I'l get to that first thing tomorrow." Tai said, "But first, I'm going to deal with something else before the night ends."

Without waiting for Gennai to ask what, Tai put his mask back on and jumped off the rooftop. He fired a cable that shot out and got a hold of the roof in front of him. Saji pulled himself up and swung through the night sky firing the cables and retracting them.

* * *

**Please Read and Review.**


	6. Off With A Blast

**I forgot to mention in theprevious chapter. Tai also has a cape that can make him invisible. Similar to the Invisibility Cloak from Harry Potter. Reason as to how Tai got this is this reason. The mask that he has gives him many strange powers. So far, you know he has these;**

**1.) And english accent (As I mentioned, the voice is a combination of Gerard Butler and Hugo Weaving mixed. If your imagination can try to create that voice, you'll see that it's a great voice for a masked vigilante.)**

**2.) The mask is able to speak to his mind, guiding him on his movements in combat.**

**and now you know that the cape allows him to turn invisible. Hope you enjoy this chapter. Reviwers have told me that I should change the rating to an 'M'. So the story is now rated Mature. It might end up being rated R for action. The sexuality won't go any more intense(not final).

* * *

**

**The Dark Jester**

**Chapter Five**

**Off With A Blast**

"Tai!" Izzy screamed at Tai's sleepy head, "Tai wake up!"

"Five more minutes." Tai muttered.

"You really want to miss five minutes of fame?" Izzy asked.

"What?" Tai jumped out of bed, "Fame?"

"Go to the Morning Japan News." Izzy said, "You might not be too surpised, but its still worth watching."

* * *

Kari was sitting in front of her TV when Izzy called about the morning news. Afterward, she called up almost everyone, and now, they were all in front of their TVs, ready to see what got Izzy going crazy. 

**"Back to you Aoki." A male news reporter said.**

**The screen shifted to a female reporter, standing outside of a boarded building. The building had many grafitti on it and the windows were covered by it, as well as boards of wood. The doorway was also boarded, but it looked as if someone broke in. There were police cars surrounding the site and police tapes were bordering the crime scene.**

**"Arigato Kisho." The female reporter said, "I'm standing in front of a crime scene where a group of teenaged males were found murdered."**

**Some policemen carried several body bags out of the building, ten in total. Through the bags, the stain of blood was still fresh and seeping through the material.**

**"The police have identified each victim to be members in a group of rapists, being in the same organization as the same murdered group found in an alleyway the same night. They have been known to leave a raped female victim salmost everynight. This day could possibly mark the end of that terror." She continued, "Evidence that the police collected show that this was the work of of the one known as the Dark Jester, yet again."**

"Oh my god." Kari said, "It's him."

* * *

"Wow." Tai commented, "Didn't see that coming." 

"At least they won't be able to trace the evidence to you." Izzy said.

"True." Tai replied. As he fell back on his bed he began to remember what Gennai told him last night. "Izzy, there's something I need you to do for me."

"What?" Izzy asked, "What help can I offer?"

"Gennai told me that Apocalymon plans to take over a computer company." Tai explained, "He plans to use it to bring out the evil Digimon into our world."

"You mean like how Armagedodnmon came into our world that one time?" Izzy asked.

"Yeah, but this time, it'll be more than just one Digimon. It'll be hundreds." Tai said, "I need your help to locate every computer company that's here in Odaiba."

"Hmm." Izzy got to his laptop and quickly turned it on. He searched through his computer, finding any computer companies, "What does Gennai plan for you to do?"

"Well, he didn't really tell me what to do about it." Tai said, "So I plan to do things my way."

"Got it." Izzy showed Tai the computer screen, "There are at least 13 companies in Japan. Since Apocalymon knows that we're all in Odaiba, I've narrowed it down to 5."

He hit a button on his keyboard and the list and the list of 50 reduced down to a list of 12 names.

"And if I continue narrowing it down, we'll get a precise location. Since he would want to be near us all, he would be." Izzy pressed another button on his keyboard and the list narrowed down to 2, "There."

"There's 2." Tai commented, "It's not enough."

"I know." Izzy said, "But this is where it gets good. Apocalymon wants to be able to get a computer company that has the most computers. The first company has very little, reason why; it doesn't sell well. The second makes more business, so its computer products are all over Odaiba. That's what Apocalymon wants. Raidon Software is the company that Apocalymon would go after."

Tai looked at the computer screen and then turned to Izzy. "I love you man." Tai kissed him on the forehead.

"What was that for?" Izzy asked, shocked.

"My graditude to a friend." Tai replied, "I'm on my way there now."

"Tai, it's pretty far from here." Izzy said, "You're forgetting the college we went to is far from home."

Tai ignored Izzy's comment. He walked to his closet and went deep inside to pull out the box of detonators.

* * *

Back at the warehouse of Apocalymon, he stood before a large crowd of men. They all wore black and had a mask that resembled Apocalymon's face. 

"Silence!" He screamed. They all hushed down and turned their attention to him, "You are all here for many reasons, but they all narrow down to one simple reason. You are all here because you share my dream of a world controlled by one. A world where you have control over the weaker humans. A world where you decide the fate of others."

They all thrusted their hands up and cheered. Apocalymon collected every possible criminal on the face of Japan and gathered them for his use. With a little Digimon powers, he was able to manipulate their minds and control them to his will. This was for the best of his abilities. If he was to take over a human world, he needed humans who knew the evil ways.

"As you all know, I plan to bring in my army of Digimon and wreck havoc into this world." Apocalymon said, "For those have been assigned the mission, go to the destination and carry out you duty."

A small portion of the crowd parted from the rest and left the warehouse. They were the ones chosen to carry out Apocalymon's first orders. With his powers controling their minds, they obeyed him mindlessly.

* * *

(1:37 pm) 

Sora was back at home, on her computer. A few hours had passed and it was past noon. Sora spent her time doing something to waste her time, hopefully, erasing her memories of what happened last night. As she was typing on the computer, something clicked in her monitor. The screen than froze and ewent blank.

"What the hell?" Sora muttered.

She hit the reset button, but nothing happened. he turned the computer off and turned it back on, nothing. Her computer was broken and she had no clue on how to fix it. As she kept trying to find the problem, she remembered that there was someone she could turn to. She went to her room to get her phone. She dialled a number and waited for a reply.

"Hello?" The voice asked.

"Hey Izzy, are you busy?" Sora asked.

"Oh hey Sora." Izzy replied, "Why what do you need?"

"My computer fucked up and I need your help." Sora said, "Can you come over to help me?"

"Oh, sorry, but I have a job interview in half an hour." He replied, "Why don't you call the computer company and tell them your problem?"

"Ok, thanks." Sora said.

"No problem." Izy replied, "Sorry I couldn't help much."

"Don't worry about it." Sora said.

Sora hung up and went back to the computer, she looked all over it, searching for the name the of the company the computer came from. When she found it, her doorbell rang. She walked to the door and opened it. At the other side, Matt was waiting there, holding a boquet of roses.

"Surprise." Matt said.

"Wow, Matt." Sora took the roses, "They're beautiful."

"You did remember what today is right?" Matt asked.

"Of course." Sora said, "It's our two year aniversary."

"And you want to know where I'm taking you for our aniversary?" Matt asked.

"Where?" Sora asked with a big smile on her face.

"You'll just have to wait until we get there." Matt grinned.

"Oh come on, Matt." Sora jokefully frowned, "Tell me."

"It's not far from here." Matt said, "But I will tell you that its gonna be delicious."

"Oooh, a restaurant." Sora smiled, "But there's something I need you to do afterward."

"Sure what do you need?" Matt asked.

"My computer broke and I need to get it fixed." Sora said, "The computer company is not far from home, so could you take me there after lunch?"

"Sure." Matt said, "But didn't you asked Izzy?"

"He said he's too busy." Sora said, "And plus, the school he goes to is far from here."

"Sora?" A female voice called from the kitchen, "You're not going out until you...oh, hello Matt."

"Hi Mrs. Takenouchi." Matt bowed, "I'm here to take Sora' on our one year aniversary."

"That's sweet to know, but I'm afraid Sora has to finish some cleaning downstair." Sora's mother said, "The shop needs to be watered and the floors need to be clean."

"But mom..." Sora complained.

"It's alright." Matt said, "I'll help."

"You don't have to." Sora said.

"I want to." Matt replied.

"Alright then." Sora's mom smiled, "Go downstairs and get cleaning."

* * *

(5:21 pm) 

"That was so great." Sora said. She finished her plate and put the chopsticks down, "You were right, it is delicious."

"I told you so." Matt smiled, "They recently opened and recommended it to my parents. Ever since they got back together, they spent as much time as they could with eachother."

"That's so sweet." Sora smiled, wiping her lips with her napkin, "We should come here more often."

"We should." Matt said, "Now, there's more I want to do."

"Whatelse could you want to do?" Sora asked, "You took me shopping for the first hour of our date."

"And there's still more to do." Matt said.

"Like what?" Sora asked.

"I'll show you when we get there." Matt said.

Matt paid the bill and the two got up to leave the restaurant.

"Thank you for dining at **Amatsu Dinner**." The manager said.

* * *

(7:45 pm) 

"Was the coupling rings really nessesary?" Sora asked, "They were so expensive."

"My parents gave me the money." Matt said, "They knew how important this day is to us."

"Aww, thank you." Sora kissed Matt as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"We better go inside." Matt said, "Wait for me at the lobby, I'll get your computer."

Sora went inside the building of the computer company. The name of the company was in giant letters;

**Raidon Electronics.**

**We give the thunder that powers you're entertainment.**

As Sora got inside the building and into the main lobby, Matt went to his car trunk and took out a large box that had Sora's computer inside. He closed the trunk and walked to the doors, opening the doors with his feet and meeting up with Sora.

"You sure you're fine with that?" Sora asked, looking at Matt as he held the heavy box.

"I'll manage." Matt said.

They were the only people in the lobby that weren't wearing business clothes. The workers were walking around, tlaking on their cellphones and discussing many things with their co-workers. The only person that stood out from them, excluding Matt and Sora was a man, dress in a heavy black trenchcoat with a hood over him, covering his face. The man carried a large duffle bag and it looked as if it was heavily packed. The elevator doors opened and the couple went inside.

"You coming buddy?" Matt asked.

The man simply shook his head slowly.

"Alright." The doors closed.

The man looked at the lights above the elevator doors. The lights above indicated that there were 8 floors in the building and that Matt and Sora went up to the fifth. The man took his hood off and revealed his face. Tai. "You just made things more complicated for me guys."

From outside the building, across the streets, in the alley,a group of men were hidden in the dark. The sun began to hide behind the tall buildings and large shadows were cast.

"Remember what the master ordered." one of them said, "We cannot fail."

* * *

"Hello. How can I help you?" The desk clerk asked. 

"Where can we go to discuss our computer problem?" Matt asked. He lifted the box up to show the computer that he brought in.

"Oh. Go to your right and enter either of the rooms that say 'Problems and/or Complaints' on the door." The man instructed, "One of our workers should be available to help you right now."

"Arigatou." Matt said.

The two followed the directions and entered the open room.

From the lobby, the group of men from the alleyway ran inside, carrying guns.

"Everyone Down!" One of them screamed, "Get Down!"

Everyone in the lobby did as ordered, they all dropped to the floor, dropping anything they held. The men with the guns prevented them from escaping the building.

"Everyone, to the stairs." The ordered, "Now!"

"Take them to the fifth floor." On of them ordered, "Get the others from the other floors and bring them there too."

"Right away." the listener replied.

* * *

Tai was on one of the floors while the stick-up was taking place. 

"Excuse me, but where can I find a washroom?" Tai asked one of the workers.

"Down the hall and to your left." The woman replied.

"Thank you." Tai smiled.

He turned around and made his way to the washroom. He entered the room and locked the door behind him. He opened his dufflebag and began to take the contents out. As he did, he heard the sound of people screaming.

"Everybody! to the Fifth floor!" someone yelled, "Now!"

The sound of gunshots made the people scream. Tai began to take the contents out more quickly.

"Check for anymore people." he heard, "Kill them if they're hiding."

_Uh oh._ Tai thought.

He heard the sound of someone kicking the doors open as they walked down the hall. The sound of doors kicked open came closer and closer. He then heard the door kick open with the voice of a man.

"Please, don't kill me." He begged.

"Sorry old man." The gunman fired several rounds and Tai heard the sound of the body hit the floor.

* * *

The gunman came to the private washroom. He opened the door, but it was locked. _Looks like we got another one._ He thought. He began to shoot at the doorknob and the door opened. He kicked the door open and aimed his gun around the washroom, searching for anything. There was none inside. _What was the doorlocked for?_

He left the room and went back to the elevator.

"This room's empty." The man said, "Let's go to the fifth floor."

Back in the washroom. From the corner of the room, farthest from the door, the face of Saji slowly appeared from nowhere. Saji got up and pulled his cape aside, revealing his body. "That was very close." He said to himself, "Better work quickly." Saji moved aside to reveal that he hid the duffle bag underneath him. He opened the bag and showed a giant set of explosives, all strapped together with many wirings on it.

* * *

Everyone that was in the building were gathered on the fifth floor and they were all sitting on the floor in the middle of the rooms, with the cubicles demolished and tossed aside to give the room. 

"As we upload our software into the main computers, I expect none of you to resist us." The main leader said, "Those who try to resist will be killed. Just to show you that we're serious as hell..."

He took his gun and fire one shot and them. The man that was sitting next to Sora fell to the ground. Sora looked in horrow when she saw the bullet hole on the victim's head. She quickly turned away.

"What do you plan to do?" Sora asked.

"We plan to unleash an army of Digimon into this world." The leader answered, "When they all enter, we will have total control of this world. First Japan, then Korea, we'll then spread to China and go all the way to Europe. Our controll will go oversea and hit America."

"I'm not gonna let them do this." Matt said to Sora.

Matt got up and quickly punched the closet one to him. As they others prepared to shoot, Matt avoided their field of view by ducking and he kicked them on the shins. They all fell to the ground and dropped their guns. They got back up and prepared for a fist fight. Matt made the first move by punching one of them and conecting it with a kick to the face of the one that stood behind him. He swung around and delivered a roundhouse kick at him and he fell to the ground. Matt turned back around and grabbed one of them by their hair and threw him to the others. As he turned around again, he met with the end of a gun.

"That's enough for you." He said. He grabbed his face, to somehow weaken the pain of Matt's punch, "You're gonna pay for this."

"Oh, I think not." A voice.

"Huh? Who's there?" The leader asked.

"Worry about my identity later." The voice replied, "You must have another question you want to ask me."

"Where are you?" The leader asked.

"Here's a riddle to answer your question;"

**I'm all over the world. You must know me yes?**

**I'm an obedient servant, through a button you press.**

**I carry many things. I take them up and down.**

**There are hundreds of me's in every town.**

**What am I?**

As the gunmen pondered on the riddle. Sora had the answer quickly.

"It's an elevator." Sora said.

"An elevator." the leader repeated her words, "He's in the elevator!"

They all surrounded the elevator and held their guns up and aimed at the door, preparing for the person to come out. The doors opened and a black figure slowly walked out. The cape covered his body and this white and black face was hidden under his black stetson. Sora instantly recognized the face. It was Saji.

"You better get down on your knees." The leader said, "Do it or we're gonna shoot the shit out of you."

"Oh, I think not." Saji replied, "You're going to be doing what I command."

"What makes you think we'll be listening to you?" one of them asked.

Saji threw his arms up and out to his sides.On his right hand he held a cylindrical device. He flipped open the top of the metal tube and it revealed a red button. What the button was for was revealed when he opened his cape. A giant set of detonators was strapped aorund his body, covering his waist and his ribs. Smaller detonators were strapped around his ankles, biceps and neck. The explosives were all connected together with many different colored wirings. He held his arms out wide to show the amount of explosives he had on him.

"You will do as I command." Saji said, "First, I want all of these people to leave the building."

"Do as he says." The leader ordered.

The gunmen moved back and the hostages all got up and ran down the stairs. Sora went to Matt and helped him on his feet.

"Let's hurry." Sora said.

As the two were about to go to the stairs, the leader pulled the gun at Saji's face.

"I think I'm going to change the plans." He said, "Besides, explosives are no good when the remote has no one to push it."

They all aimed their guns at Saji, as well as Matt and Sora. They covered the exit to prevent them form leaving, while the remaining hostages escaped and ran out of the building in panic.

"Someone call the police!" they screamed, "There's a crazy man with explosives inside."

* * *

"Put the remote down." The leader ordered. 

Saji closed the lid of the remote and let it drop. They all focused their eyes on the falling remote. Saji took this oppertunity to strike. He took out his crusader sword and held it tightly in his two hands. Saji swung the blade and sliced it right at the rib of one of them. He dropped to the ground in pain, grasping the giant wound. Saji turned around and pierced the blade through another gunman and let him drop to the floor. As the remaining approuched him, Saji sheathed the sword on his back and pulled out two knives from his belt. He twisted the hilt and the blades slid out. As they raised their guns, Saji ran at them, he spun around whipped his cape at the closet shooter and stabbed him right in the forehead. He pulled the blade out and used it to pierce the wrist of the next gunman and slit his throat with the other knife. As the blood kept coming, Saji kept moving forward, slicing and stabbing. Saji made it to the other side of the gunmen and looked up to see Sora and Matt still there.

"Get out." Saji said.

"I think I agree with him." Matt ran out the door to the stairs and Sora followed.

As Sora was about to make it to the door, she felt someone grab her hair. While there were others that Saji had to deal with, the leader of them took this time to get Sora. Saji finished off the last of them. The final foe aimed his gun at Saji's head. The gun was pressed against his left emple as Saji had his two knives in his hands. Saji stood over is enemies as they were rolling on the floor in pain.

"Don't even think about it." the shooter said.

"I'm afraid you're too late." Saji said, "Thoughts can be powerful, but they are more powerful when followed by action."

With that, Saji swung his left hand and pierced the blade right into the shooter's stomach. He slid the knife up to his chest and let the blood spill out.

"Enjoy the rest of your days in the burning land of Hell." Saji said. To his own surprise he was the first foe that he killed in this building. The others were suffering from loss of blood and screaming in pain.

"That's enough." a voice said.

Saji turned around and saw the leader of the gunmen holding Sora with a gun at her head. He had his right arm around Sora's neck and was squeezing tightly. Sora was grabbing his arm, trying to break free, but the grip was too strong.

"I would give you an option on this, but now that you killed everyone of my men, I have no reason to." He said, "Now you'll have this bitch's death on your concious."

"I have many deaths." Saji replied, "I'll have one more for this occasion, but it won't hers."

"Then who else could it be?" the leader asked.

"Yours." Saji raised his right hand up, holding a CD, "Isn't this yours?"

It was the CD that would allow them to unleash the evil Digimon through the computers, and all others that were connected to the main computer. Without it, the hope for unleashing the Digimon was gone.

"Give it back." He said, "I'll trade her life for it."

"Do I have your word?" Saji asked. He brought his right hand down. As he held the CD between his index and middle finger, his thumb and remaining fingers held a shuriken, hidden on his palm, away from his enemy's sight, as well as Sora's.

"Just give me the CD." He demanded, "Give it your I'll be spilling her blood on this floor."

"Very well." Saji threw the CD towards him.

He released his grip on Sora and reached out to grab the CD. HE got a hold of the mirrored disk, but he didn't move afterwards. He began to grunt in pain. Sora and Saji looked at him. As he was frozen in position, blood began to spill from his neck. Where the blood came from was from a shuriken that got him there. He finally released his grip on the CD and fell on his knees.

"You better get out of here young one." Saji said to Sora.

Sora was about to get up but she turned around to see that the blood-losing enemies were back on their feet.

"Too late I'm afraid." Saji said, "I'm afraid you'll have to join me on my special moment."

Saji walked over to the remote that he dropped and kicked it back up to his hand. He opened the lid and had his thumb over the red button. Sora looked in horror as he was prepared to press the button and explode the entire building, with her still inside.

"_Bomb_ Voyage." Saji then pressed the red button.

* * *

Matt was finally outside and ran far as he could. He stopped wondering one thing. _Where's Sora?_ He turned around and realized that Sora must still be inside. He ran back to go inside to get her, but before he could, a gigantic explosion blew him back and onto a car, shattering the windshield. He got himself off the car and brushed himself off. He forwarda and saw the building collapse in a giant fire. 

"Sora!" He screamed. He ran towards the fire, hoping that she wasn't there. He looked around the area, but didn't see her, "NOO!"

Matt dropped to his knees and slammed his fists on the ground. He kept slamming the ground until he heard a noise from the fire crackling. It didn't sound like any noise fire would make. He looked up and saw a black figure walking through the fire, holding something large and covered in is cape. The figure was walking towards the alleyway on the other sideof the fire. Matt quickly followed. Saji walked through the blaze, towards a location where there would be no witnesses. He made it out of the fire and Matt approuched him. Saji loosened the cape and revelaed that Sora was hidden in the cape safe from harm.

"Oh god Sora." Matt grabbed her in a hug and held her tightly, "I was so scared."

"I'm alright." Sora said.

Matt turned his attention to Saji. He got up and swung a punch and him in anger, but missed, "You asshole! You could've killed her!"

"Be grateful that I didn't." Saji replied, "As I told her last night, I have my respect for women."

"You mean you met him last night?" Matt asked Sora.

"Yeah, he saved me that night." Sora said, "He saved me the same way Kari was saved."

"You got a glimpse of me girlfriend naked?" Matt swung another punch, but missed again, "You are a perverted freak."

"I'd prefer that you would at least call me a fool." Saji said, "For that is what I am."

"Fool, freak, pervert. They're all the same." Matt said harshly.

"I believe I found a fool, more foolish than me." Saji said.

"Don't push it fucker."Matt swung another punch, but this time, Saji caught the fist. He performed a wrist grapple and forced Matt on his knee, "You didn't hit me the first two times, what makes you think you can hit me the third time?"

"Stop it." Sora said, "Matt, he saved my life, be grateful about that. And Saji, leave my boyfriend alone."

"As you wish my lady." Saji released his grip and let Matt get back up on his feet. As Matt got up, he spun around to give a back kick to Saji's face. Saji blocked the kick and forced Matt to fall to the ground, "You are indeed a fool. A persistant fool."

In the distance, the three heard the sound of people.

"I think I saw someone run through here." they heard someone say.

"Well, it seems that I must part." Saji said, "but first." Saji held his left hand out, cupping it as if he was holding a stick. He pulled his cape over the fist and let it dropp in his hand. He then pulled the cape up and out, revealing a bright red rose, with something that looked like a button. The button was in gold and had the engraving of two knives crossing blades with eachother. Saji handed the rose to Sora, ignoring Matt's angered look, "Until we meet again." He then looked at Matt, "Same goes for you too."

Matt clenched his fist tightly and prepared to punch Saji, hopefully getting a hit this time, but before he could. Saji snapped his fingers and ewas consumed by a giant smoke cloud. When the smoke cleared, Saji was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

**How'd you like this chapter? For those of you who have seen Jet li's movie 'Black Mask', you could tell that I used that one trick he used at the end of the movie, in the final fight. I also used the scene in 'V for Vendetta' where V shows up, walking through the elevator, strapped in explosives and holding the remote. I thank those movies for giving me the ideas for my Vigilante's style of combat. Anyways, please review.**


	7. A Break and A Dance

**Sorry for the long wait, but I had another fanfic to finish up. Here's the next chapter of The Dark Jester.**

* * *

**The Dark Jester**

**Chapter Six**

**A Break and A Dance**

"What's gotten into you?" Izzy yelled, "Did you have blow up that building?"

"Not really, I guess." Tai muttered.

"You realize that you may have caused a riot for destroying a computer company building?" Izzy asked, "that was the number one selling software company."

"Look, I'm sorry, Izzy." Tai said, "But look at the good side, Apocalymon's plan was ruined."

"True, but your method for causing that was a bit extreme." Izzy said.

"A clown has his extreme ways." Tai said with a smile, "Why do you think some people always say clowns are evil?"

"This isn't funny Tai." Izzy said, "This could start a riot. Not many people will be happy when they could no longer get help with their computers."

"Why not simply go to a different company?" Tai asked, "I think it would be better."

"You have no knowledge of computer geeks." Izzy groaned.

"Wow, you actually called yourself a geek." Tai smiled, "That'll be something I'll remember for eternity."

"Listen Tai, you may have stopped one of Apocalymon's plans, but there may be more troubles ahead." Izzy said, "You have to be on gaurd everyday."

"I'm a superhero." Tai said, "Of course I know that."

* * *

"Hey Kari, what is this?" TK held an opened envelope in his hand that was on the coffee table in front of the TV.

TK had just returned from the hospital and was feeling much better. He suffered from alot of bleeding, but the doctors were able to stop it. He also had a twisted wrist that recently healed during his stay at the hospital.

"That's an invitation." Kari said, coming from her bedroom.

"I can see that." TK smiled, "But an invitation to what?"

"Do you remember that I decided to take dance classes?" Kari asked.

"Of course." TK said, "I was the one who pushed you into actually taking the classes."

"Well, the school's having a dance party." Kari said, "I'm sending invitations to all of our friends."

"Hae you done it yet?" TK asked.

"Yeah, and so far; Davis, Ken, Yolei, Matt, Sora and Mimi are able to come." Kari said, "Mimi's in Japan right now for the rest of the week to visit her grandparents, so she'll be there." Kari slowly walked up to TK. When she came close to him, she wrapped her left arm around his neck, "As for you, you'll be getting a special invitation."

"Have you noticed how much of a great couple Ken and Yolei had become?" TK asked, "And because of that, Davis and Yolei have been closer than ever."

"I know, I noticed." Kari said, "If you ask and random person, they'll probably think those three are in a love triangle."

"But we know better, don't we?" TK smiled, "What about your brother?"

"I mailed the invitation to his school." Kari said, "It's for both him and Izzy."

"What about me?" TK asked, "Do I get one?"

Kari slowly walked up to TK. When she came close to him, she wrapped her left arm around his neck, "As for you, you'll be getting a special invitation."

"Something tells me, I'll be loving this." TK smiled brightly.

* * *

"Hey Tai, mail's here." Izzy came back into their dorm room with a handfull of mail, "Hey, there's an invitation. Well, two, but they're from the same people."

"What's it for?" Tai asked.

"It's from Kari." Izzy said, "Something about a dance party from her school. It's addressed to both of us."

"When is it?" Tai asked.

"Tomorrow night." Izzy said.

Tai thought about the dance. What can he do there? He'll have no date, and he'll probably have to see Mat and Sora together. Should he go? Would Kari be upset if he didn't? Could Tai handle seeing Matt and Sora together?

"Tai? What's your RSVP?" Izzy asked, "I'm gonna call Kari right now."

Tai still pondered on his choice. While he was, Izzy picked up the phone and dialed a number.

"Hello?" Izzy asked, "Kari? Hi, its Izzy...yeah, we got the invitation just now."

"Tell her I can't go." Tai said.

Izzy covered the speaker end of the phone, "Why not?" Izzy asked.

"Who knows what could happen if I leave the city unprotected for one night." Tai said, "My job is more important right now."

"Alright, suit yourself." Izzy said. He brought the phone back to his ear, "Yeah Kari? Tai can't be there. He has a test the day after and he needs to study for it. I'm really sorry, but I'll be there. Alright, bye."

* * *

"Bye." Kari hung up the phone.

"Well?" TK asked, "What's the news?"

"Izzy will be there." Kari said, but then her face dropped, "But Tai's too busy to make it."

"Really?" TK saw how upset Kari became, "I'm really sorry to hear that." TK walked up to her and held her in a hug, "Just one more question. Do I have to wear a suit?"

* * *

(Three hours before the dance party.)

**"Now we go live to the scene of the murder of a man down in the busy streets of Odaiba." A male news anchor said, "We have Jinsu at the scene."**

**The screen shifted to a man just outside a house.**

**"Arigatou Kisho." The male said, "I'm standing outside the house of a man identified as Charles Craig. An American who was found murdered in his home. With what was left behind by the murderer reveals that The Dark Jester has struck yet again. With some evidence found in Charles home, it shows that the victim himself was a killer."**

**The screen now went to a police officer who was at the scene.**

**"With the evidence, we discovered that this victim was the culprit of several murders cases we had that were unsolved." The police said, "With the amount of murders commited by this man, he was carrying the death penalty. So, apparently, The Dark Jester did that for us."**

**The screen then went back to the news anchor.**

**"That concludes the highlights of today's events."**

"That was nicely done Tai." Izzy said, "You were able to do things the police couldn't do."

"Well, you'll understand that police have certain boundaries in their duties." Tai said, "I simply did things my own way."

"Such as?" Izzy asked.

"I broke into the police station and looked for some cases to solve." Tai said, "And I just winged it."

"You broke into the police station!" Izzy yelled.

"Not too loud." Tai said, "People will hear."

"Did you not get caught?" Izzy asked.

"Did you not forget what ther cape can do for me?" Tai asked, "They didn't see me."

Izzy went to his desk to grab the invitation.

"You sure you don't want to go?" Izzy asked, "I'm sure Kari would like it."

"I know she would." Tai answered, "But I can't be around Matt and Sora right now."

"Suit yourself." Izzy said, "I have to go stop by my parents to get a suit."

"It's three hours until the party." Tai said.

"They want me to stay for dinner." Izzy answered, "They miss me, that's all."

"I'm sorry Izzy, but I'm definitly not going." Tai said, "And besides, I have nothing to wear."

"Well, you know; They called it the 'Mask-erade' for a reason." Izzy grinned. He then headed to the door and left the room.

Tai sat back on his bed. He ran his fingers through his hair, stressed from the homework he had. Sure, there really was no test tomorrow, but he still had alot to do at college. He thought over Izzy's words; 'They called it the 'Mask-erade' for a reason.'. He looked over to his closet and gave a small smile when he finally understood what he meant.

* * *

(At the Party)

"This is nice place." Davis said.

The room was very large. The center of the room was wooden floor and the border around the wood was carpet, on the carpet, there were round dinner tables. At the far end of the room, there was a stage with a DJ system and on the other end of the room, was a bar. There were streamers in many different colors hanging all over the walls with many colored balloons. A large chandelier was in the middle of the ceiling with many diamonds glimmering from the light. Below the chandelier, a disco ball was hanging under it.

"I agree." Ken replied, "Great decoration."

"I wonder where TK and Kari are." Yolei said.

Davis was dressed in pure black clothing. His dresspants were all black and his dress-shirt was black as well. Since dresspants don't use belts, he had white tuxedo suspenders to hold them up. He wore a white tie and a black blazer over it all. his shoes were pure black with the laces veery nicely tied. He had a black mask on his face that covered all but his mouth.

Ken was dressed somewhat similar to Davis, but his dresshirt was white and he had a black vest over it, with the black blazer over that. He had no mask on, but he had his hair back into a ponytail.

Yolei has grown to be more attractive to Ken's eyes. She finally lost interest in her glasses and started wearing contacts. She wore a red dress, with the skirt reaching just above the knees. The front had a deep dip at the chest that showed alot of cleavage on her chest. The skirt had thick strands of the material anging off the bottom of the dress to give it a more waving look when she spun around. She had her hair brought back and tied it, but with the end of it, she frizzed it out. She head a hairclip on the right side of her hair that had a large silver star on it.

"Hey guys." Kari and TK arrived from the other side of the room, "So glad you could make it."

"Hey, Kari." Davis smiled, "You look great."

"Thanks Davis." Kari smiled and gave a small blush, "You look good too."

"Thanks." Davis smiled back, "Hey TK, nice look. You could be the new Phantom of the Opera."

"Well, that was the plan." TK said, "Kari is dressed to be Christine Daae."

"Christine who?" Davis asked confused.

"Christine Daae. She's the love interest of the Phantom in the musical." Ken said, "Haven't you seen it before?"

"Uh...no." Davis said, "I'm not into musicals."

Kari was dressed in a cream white dress. The skirt hung down just above the feet, with the front split down the middle to show the legs. She had thin white stockings on and pure white heels. The dress hugged her waist, and the straps of the dress were hanging on the side of Kari's shoudlers. Kari wore many star hair clips on her hair and had silver earings on the had the moon and stars on it.

TK's suit was all black, with the exception of a white dress-shirt. He wore a long black cape with a very large collor that reached up to TK's ears. He wore a white mask that resembled the Phantom of the Opera and he had tight black gloves on.

"Well you two look great." Yolei said.

"Thanks Yolei." Kari smiled, "You guys wanna sit down?"

"Sure. Where's our table?" Ken asked.

"I've made arrangements so that we all sit at one table. It's table 4" Kari said, "Mimi, Sora, Matt, and Izzy will be with us too."

"Isn't it ten to a table?" Davis asked, "Where's our tenth?"

"It was supposed to be Tai, but said he couldn't make it." Kari said, "He has a test tomorrow morning, so he had to study."

"Well, I'm gonna go dance right now." Davis said, "I'll be there later."

Davis ran to the dance floor while the music was playing a very upbeat hip-hop music. The others made their way to their table and sat down, while they watched Davis busting off his moves.

"He's pretty good." Yolei said.

"Hey guys. Are we late?" A voice said from behind TK.

They all turned around and saw Matt, Sora, and Izzy.

"Hey guys." Kari got up and hugged Sora, "You made it. You look so pretty."

"Thanks Kari." Sora smiled, "Is this everyone?"

"Well, Davis is out there." Kari pointed to the dance floor, "And Mimi is on her way. She said she's having trouble picking a dress."

"Same old Mimi." Izzy said.

Matt was dressed in a typical tuzedo, with the exception of the mask he was wearing. It resembled a wolf by the fangs that were on the bottom of the mask.

Sora wore a blue dress that had no strap on it. The dress went down to her knees with tiny strands of the material hanging down, around an inch or two in length. She wore a white mask that showed a small portion of her nose.(Hard to describe, but its the mask worn by Hilary Duff in the movie **Cinderella Story**).

Izzy's suit was a black with a red dress-shirt under it. He had a black tie that had very thin red stripes that traveled down diagonally to the bottom. He had no mask on for this party.

"I'm gonna join Davis." Ken said. He got up from his seat and turned to Yolei, "Will you excuse me?"

"Don't be gone long." Yolei said, "Or I won't be dancing with you."

"Alright then." Ken bent down and kissed Yolei before joining Davis on the dancefloor.

"Does Ken breakdance?" Matt asked.

"He's been practicing with Davis for a few months now." Yolei said, "And right now, I don't think they'll go crazy yet."

"Hey look, there's Mimi." Sora pointed to the entrance of the dance chamber.

Mimi caught sight of them and proceeded to walk over to them.

"Hi guys!" Mimi squealed, running over to Sora to hug her, "I missed you all."

"You look great." Sora said, "But did you have to take so long?"

"I wanted to best dress I could find." Mimi said, "At least I made it."

"Yeah, you did." Matt said, "Come on, sit down. We're just watching Davis and Ken dance their hearts out."

* * *

At the entrance of the dance chamber a dark dressed figure approuched, but lets get real, almost all the guys are dressed dark. He had a black stetson on with a dark purple feather on the right side. He approuched the door.

"Do you have an invitation sir?" The doorman asked.

The man didn't answer. He simply showed him the invitation and he was allowed inside.

* * *

Davis and Ken walked back to their table and sat down in their seats.

"That was good dancing guys." Yolei said.

"Thanks." Davis smiled.

The music changed to a very slow and moving song.

"Uh..Matt, do you mind if I dance with Sora?" Izzy asked.

"Not at all." Matt smiled, "Just don't get any cute ideas."

"You have my word." Izzy said. He took Sora's hand and the two walked to the dancefloor.

"What about you Mimi?" Matt asked, "You wanna dance?"

"Sure." Mimi smiled, "Let's go."

"Wanna get moving?" Ken asked.

"Sure." Yolei said, "Let's see what you can do."

TK, Kari, and Davis were left at the table.

"You wanna dance Kari?" TK asked.

"I'd love to." Kari smiled, but then she looked back at Davis.

"Don't mind me. I'll just go to the bar and get a Sprite or something." Davis got up from his seat and went to the bar.

In time they were all in pairs, holding eachother close and slowly spinning on the spot. Davis stayed at the bar and had continuous drinks of cola. From the corner of the room, the dark figure in the stetson watched as they were all dancing. He had his face covered by his hat and the shadows of where he was standing. After a while of dancing, the music changed to another slow song.

"Hey Kari, why don't you go and dance with Davis." TK said.

"You sure?" Kari asked.

"Go ahead." TK said, "He looks lonely over there."

"Alright then." Kari smiled.

Mimi and Matt finished dancing and they were on their way to go to sora and Izzy. Mimi got a hold of Izzy's arm and she pulled him over for a dance. Matt came closer to Sora, but as he did, a girl that was passing by grabbed him by his tux and pulled him with her.

"Hey cutie." She said as she pulled him along.

Sora looked around to find that there was no one to dance with. She saw tht Matt was being dragged to dance with a stranger. She then felt a tap on her shoulders and heard a voice.

"May I have this dance miss?" The voice asked.

Sora turned around slowly and saw a familiar face.

"Saji?" Sora was surprised, "What are you doing here? How'd you get in?"

"I'm a magician." Saji said, "I heard about this through some sources."

"If people find out your here, things will get a little crazy." Sora said.

"There's nothing to fear, Sora." Saji replied, "Only you and your boyfriend have seen my face and lived to tell the tale. As well as that one girl whom I saved before."

"You mean Kari?" Sora asked.

"If that's what you call her." Saji said, "Now, will you like to dance?"

"Ok. Sure." Sora took his gloved hands and brought herself closer to him. The two began to slowly spin around as the music echoesd throughout the chamber, "Shouldn't you be out in the city saving people right now?" she asked.

"I've been doing that ever since I came into being." Saji replied, "I believe every living being deserves a break every once in a while."

"I heard what happened on the news today." Sora said, "You're really brave, to be able to get yourself into near-death situations and make it out alive. You seem to always do things that we find evil."

"Well, it seems to me that 'Fair is foul, foul is fair.'." Saji replied.

"What does that mean?" Sora asked.

"It means that; I can sense that there is confusion in you, on what is right and wrong." Saji said, "But don't fear. I know very well of what I do."

The song ended and Matt was on his way over to Sora.

"I'll see you again Sora." Saji released his grip on her hand and removed his other hand from her waist and walked off.

"Hey Sora." Matt came back, "Sorry, but some chick stole me."

"It's alright." Sora said, "Come on, lets go sit down."

From where the Dj system was, a man in his early 40s came up on stage with a microphone.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to thank you all for attending this party, and would like to tell you how great it is to know how much you are enjoying it." He said, "Now we move on to our next event, before going back to dancing."

"What's the next event?" Davis asked.

"As some of you may know, we have had a great couple hear who has won many awards in dance and many trophis for our school." a teenage couple walked up on stage, "Please give a warm welcome to our greatest dancers; Kasumi Shinko and Ryu Matsunoto."

Everyone applauded when the two came on stage, but Kari was the only one who didn't. Several other teenagers didn't clap as well.

"What's wrong Kari?" TK asked.

"I hate that girl." Kari said, "She's the biggest snob in the dance school."

"What's wrong with her?" Davis asked, "She's hot."

"Ever since she was named the 'Best Dancer of the School', she's been treating everyone else as if we were pathetic dancers." Kari said, with an upset tone, "Even her boyfriend is horrible. He was meant to be my dance partner for one number, but backed out because he thought I was a bad dancer."

"And were you?" Davis asked.

"This isn't funny Davis." Kari snapped, "Those two are the worst students of the dance school."

"For our event, we'll ask anybody to come onto the dancefloor and compete against these two." The announcer said, "Anyone who can outdo them will be awarded an 550000 yen grand prize. If the competitors are in groups, then the prize will be given to each member."

"Holy shit." Davis exclaimed, "I could really use that cash."

"But didn't you hear the dude?" Yolei asked, "Their the best."

"It seems we have a challenger." The announcer said., "They shall compete against them in a waltz challege."

(I don't plan to get descriptive on what the dance is, so just workwith me on that.)

The couple walked down from the stage and onto the dancefloor. The competeing couple joined and the music came on. After the dance finished. The judges gave their score.

"Our judges have made their decision." The announcer said, "And as always, Kasumi and Ryu have won."

The couple hugged eachother in victory while the other couple walked off the dancefloor, upset from loss. The event went on for a while. Dancer after dancer, they kept losing. Even a group of breakdancers lost to the couple, dancing to the rambo."

"Seven challenges and they still win." Matt said, "This is incredible."

"This is what I hate." Kari said, "After all this, they'll be bragging about it for the rest of their lives."

"I'm going." Ken said, "I'm taking them on."

"Are you serious?" Sora asked, "What can you do?"

"The Tango." Ken said, "Yolei's been teaching me."

"And where have you learned?" Mimi asked.

"My aunt went to America for vacation and learned it there." Yolei said, "She taught me everything about the Tango."

"You sure you guys wanna do this?" Izzy asked, "They're pretty tough."

"At least we tried." Ken said, "But I have a plan in mind. Davis could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Uhh, yeah. Sure." Davis got up from his seat and walked off with Ken, "What's up?"

"You remember that one routine we practiced?" Ken asked, "The one we did for your school talent show?"

"You mean the one where we had Yolei with it?" Davis asked, "Yeah."

"We're gonna do that, but add some Tango to it." Ken said.

"How?" Davis asked, "I know very little about the Tango."

"Watch me and Yolei and learn a few steps." Ken smiled, "You can do it. Just wait for my signal."

"What's the signal gonna be?" Davis asked.

"I'll kiss Yolei and that's when you get on stage." Ken said, "I want the crowd to think this is a love triangle dance."

"Ooh, nice." Davis grinned, "I the sound of that."

"Just don't forget that Yolei's my girlfriend." Ken smirked.

Ken walked back to Yolei. Ken took off his blazer and unbuttoned the buttons on the wrist of his dress-shirt. The two walked across the dancefloor and went to the announcer.

"We have another challenger tonight, ladies and gentlemen." The announcer said, "They'll be doing the Tango. For this, we will have both couples dance at the same time."

Davis walked back to his seat. He proceeded to take off his blazer. He rolled up his sleeves until they were above his elbows.

(For this I'll have to ask you to look at this video to get a good look at the dance looks like. If you have seen **Take the Lead**, then you will know what I am talking about. The tango trio dance is the video you all need to look for. I suggest you look for it on youtube. Just so you don't get confused with characters; Ken will replace the black guy, Yoleiwill obviously replace the chick in the blue dress, and Davis will replace the asian guy.)

"Well, that was one very surprising performance." The announcer said, "Let's see what the judges have to say."

"That was awesome." Davis said, "Now I know why you like doing the tango with her."

"Well don't get any ideas." Yolei said, "I'm not gonna let you touch me like that ever again. I won't even let you kiss me ever again."

"Hey, I wouldn't kiss you again, even if some guy had a gun to my head." Davis joked.

"Well, we have our results." The announcer said, "Kasumi and Ryu have made the following score by the three judges; 10, 9, and 9."

Davis, Ken, and Yolei were worried, that was a high score. The chances of them beating that would take a miracle. The others that watched this at their table were also uneasy.

"For the challengers. Their score from the three judges are; 10..."

The three of them brought a smile on their face, they may have a chance.

"9..."

_Uh oh_, They thought.

"And..."

The three of them held eachothers hands tightly, waiting for the final score.

"10."

The three of them cheered loudly and hugged eachother in victory. Everyone else cheered just as loudly and applauded. From the dark corner, Saji looked at the voctory of Davis, Ken and Yolei.

"Nicely done." He said softly.

"That concludes the event. At the end of the party, will the three winners come to the stage to recieve their prize money?" The announcer said, "Now we leave the dance floor open again for nonstop dancing."

Tai knew he couldn't do much as Saji at a party. He decided that it was best for him to leave right now. As he made his way to the doors, he looked back to see the couple that had just lost to Davis, Ken, and Yolei, get into a heated arguement. He turned back and continued to walk and leave the party.

Sora was on the dancefloor with Matt, when she noticed the dark caped figure leaving the dance chamber.

"Could you hold on for a moment?" Sora asked, "I need to use the washroom."

Sora walked through the crowd of dancers. Saji was still in her sight. She made it out of the chamber and saw Saji heading outside into the night. She ran after him. Saji just closed the door behind him and when Sora ran to open it, he wasn't there. It was as if he disappeared into thin air. Sora looked around, hoping to be able to get one more glimspe of him, but no luck. She went back inside to the dance chamber.

From the roof of the building, Saji stood there, with the moonlight shining behind him.

* * *

**How was this chapter? Please send me some reviews.**


	8. Point of No Return

**Hi guys, Sorry for the long wait, but I kinda got a brain fart for the past few weeks. I also realized that Gerard Butler has a completely different voice in 'The Phantom of the Opera' compared to his regular voice. So just so you all know; when I said his voice is a mix of Hugo Weaving and Gerard Butler, I meant Gerard when he was talking in 'Tha Phantom of the Opera' movie.

* * *

**

**The Dark Jester**

**Chapter Seven**

**Point of No Return**

Izzy returned back to the dorm room of his school after the dance. As he unlocked the door and entered, he found Tai sitting slumped on his bed with a remote in his hand and the TV on. Izzy ooked over to the TV and saw that The Phantom of the Opera was on.

"What are you watching this for?" Izzy asked.

"This is the only good thing on TV right now." Tai answered in a gloom way, "Besides, Gerard Bulter is a good singer."

_The Phantom of the Opera is there...  
Inside your mind._

Tai cotinued to watch the movie while Izzy could do nothing about it. While the TV was still on, a student walked by the dorm room.

"Phantom of the Opera?" He asked, "You're such a pussy."

"Hey! I least I don't watch chick flicks with my sister!" Tai screamed back.

"Tai, I do have to ask." Izzy said, "Why did you decide to go to the dance?"

"Well..." Tai honestly had no answer for it.

"Tai, you don't have to hide the fact that you still have feelings for Sora." Izzy said. He grabbed the chair next to his desk and sat on it, "But I really think you should move on."

"You have no idea how hard it is for me." Tai said. He turned off the TV and tossed the remote off his bed, "It's late now."

"What's your point?" Izzy asked.

"Its the perfect time for a little detour of the city." Tai said, "I'll be back in a few hours."

"Where do you plan to go?" Izzy asked.

Tai didn't answer. He already took his costume and jumped out the window. Izzy looked through the open window as Tai ran off, with the black clothing in his hands.

* * *

Apoclymon stood before one one of his minions. He had the look of rage on his face. The minion had severe burns on his face and a large scar on his neck.

"How could you fail me!" He asked, "Not only did you fail to do that, but you also lost the disk."

"_He_ was there, master." The man answered, "He ruined our plans."

"You mean The dark Jester?" Apoclymon asked tensely, "You cowered before him? He's nothing more than a human in a cape and a mask."

"He single-handedly defeated us all." The man said, "He fought us all with explosives on him."

"I had enough of your excuses!" Apoclymon raised his right hand in the air and released a slash at his kneeling minion.

"I cannot tolerate failure." He said to himself, "With this 'Dark Jester' interfering everytime, the DigiDestined will probably come in to."

The man recoiled from the slash that came across his face. "What do you wish for master?"

"I want you to go find the DigiDestined." He answered, "Kill them all."

"But of if the Dark Jester appears?" The man asked.

"Kill him too." Apoclymon ordered, "Unless you choose to cower again."

"Master, I've been brutally scarred by that dark clown. I feel I am in no condition to..." Before he could finish, he felt the stinging pain of something entering his chest. He looked down and saw the hand of Apoclymon pierced through his chest and out his back.

"I told you, I will not tolerate failure." He snarled, "To not obey my orders is failure."

He pulled his arm out of the man's chest and let the body fall to the floor.

"I'll have to deal with this myself." He said, "I sense that the powers of Love, Hope, Friendship, Light and Miracles are together."

* * *

Sora and Matt were walking through the crowded street of Odaiba. Many of the people had cameras and camcorders. Following the two, were Davis, TK, and Kari.

"What, what are we doing here?" Sora asked.

"It's a surprise." Matt answered.

"Then why are the others with us?" Sora asked.

"This is for them too." Matt said, "Its a public surprise."

In a matter of seconds, the streets were emptied and all the people were standing on the sidewalk.

"What's going on?" Sora asked.

"Look over there." Matt pointed down the street.

Sora looked over and saw a giant platform coming down the street. The platform had a many people standing on it. They were all wearing costumes and masked that resembled monster. The front of the platform had a large banner that said.

**Happy Halloween  
Enjoy the time of scare and surprises.**

"Don't you remember the news about this?" Matt asked, "It's been in the papers for weeks."

"You know I don't read the papers." Sora smiled, "This is great."

"Yo, check out that float." Davis pointed to a float that had people dressed as vampires and werewolves. They were all moving around the platform as if they were in a fight with eachother.

"This is so cool." TK said, "I can't believe I was planning to go home and miss this."

"I can't see much from here." Kari said, "Too many people are in the way."

"Follow me guys." Matt said, "I know the perfect place."

Matt took Sora's hand and led her through the crowd to the building behind them. Davis, TK, and Kari followed behind and entered the building with the couple. They all went up the stairs and made it to the seventh floor. Matt guided them to the doors that led to a balcony that had the view of the entire parade. From afar, they could see that there were giant balloons about to come by them.

"This is an awesome view." TK said.

"Hey, check it out. It's Blade." Davis pointed.

The float that was coming pass them had a African man dressed in a black trenchcoat with shades on. He had a sword strapped to his back and had a belt with what looked like stakes. The people around him were dress like normal people, but they had fangs on.

"Not bad." TK said, "You're not scared yet are you Kari?"

"Shut up." Kari playfully punched TK's right arm, "I'm not the one who freaked out when watching **V for Vendetta**."

"Hey look." Sora pointed down to the people walking along side the floats, "Look at their costumes."

Among them, Sora noticed one that seemed to catch her interest. The costumed person was wearing black and had a black cape on, with a black stetson. _Could it be?_ She asked herself. When she got a look of the person's face, it wasn't the black and white mask tht she was familiar with. It was the Guy Fawkes mask.

"Hey, that guy's trying to look like V from that movie." Kari pointed to the costumed person Sora was looking at.

Sora then got a mixed feeling of relief, yet disappointment. For some reason, she was glad that it wasn't Sagi, but another reason, she was hoping that it was him.

* * *

From below, down where all the other people were, a young teen boy was among the people in costumes. (I won't get descriptive, because its hard to describe, but here's a link to what this person's costume looks like. http/ www . dacardworld . com / itemimages / EP1 - 005MP . jpg remove the spaces.) Resembling a clown, he giggled like one as he walked along with the parade.

* * *

"Hey, look at that freak." Davis pointed to the person dress as the clown, "You Suck!"

"Shut up man." TK smacked him at the back of his head.

"What's that?" Kari pointed to the rooftop of one of the buildings on the other side of the street.

"You think its part of the parade?" TK asked.

"I don't know." Davis said, while rubbing the back of his head, "I'm still recovering from your assault."

"You think its..." Sora looked at the silhouette of the figure on the roof. With the flowing cape, the figure reminded her of Sagi, but the figure had no hat on.

"Prepare for destruction!" The figure shouted.

Everyone at the parade stopped and looked up to where the voice came from. They all looked at the caped figure as he held a small object in his hands.

"Oh my god." TK exclaimed, "It's him."

The others looked at TK in question.

"Its Apoclymon." TK said, "Look at his face."

They all looked closely and immedietly recognized the look. The mask on his face brought back memories of the day they saw him. When he defeated them, destroyed their crests and eventually lost to them.

"You DigiDestined won't survive this one." Apoclymon threw the object he held in his hands and it hit the bottom of the balcony.

The object exploded and the balcony began to crack.

"Oh god!" Matt exclaimed, "Get off the balcony guys!"

They didn't have to hear it twice, they quickly ran towards the door. As Sora made her way back inside, she tripped on the dbris and fell on the floor. The cracks grew and eventually, the entire balcony broke off. Sora quickly grabbed onto the ledge of the doorway and held on tight.

"Matt!" She screamed, "Help!"

"Sora!" Matt ran to Sora, but before he could reach to help her up, he felt a strong force push him back.

"I think not boy." The force that pushed him came from none other than Apoclymon, "I can't let you save her, that'll spoil my plan."

"How could you be alive?" Matt asked, "We destroyed you."

"Save your questioning." A voice said, "The answer wouldn't be of any use anyways."

TK, Kari, Davis, Matt, and Apoclymon looked over to the doorway of where Sora is hanging from. The clown that Davis had previously seen was standing there.

_How'd he get there without me seeing?_ Sora asked.

"Who are you?" Apoclymon asked.

"Behold; your greatest enemy." The clown grabbed onto his puff sleeve and ripped it off. What was left on him was a black cape, covering black clothing with a belt that had many equipments. The large hat was replaced with a black stetson and six different swords were strapped on his back.

"You." Matt growled softly, "You again."

"I can see you still hold a grudge on me." Saji said, "Now, Apoclymon, let us dance."

"You've ruined my previous plan, I won't let you ruin this one." Apoclymon charged at him.

Saji brought his arms crossed in front of him, ready to stand his ground form the hit. Apoclymon headbutts Saji and he is sent flying out the doorway and lands on one of the balloons.

"That hurt." He muttered.

Apoclymon jumped from the doorway opening and landed on the ballon where Saji was. Thw two continued in their fight. Apoclymon goes for another headbutt, but this time, Saji used the balloon and managed to jumped high enough to avoid the hit. Saji landed back on the balloon and turned around to face the evil Digimon. Apoclymon lunged at Saji, but Saji landed a strong kick on his side and forced him down. He then jumped up high and prepared to land on his knees, right on Apoclymon. Apoclymon managed to roll out of the way and he kicked Saji at his head.

"You stand no chance against me." Apoclymon said, "You know nothing about what I am capable of."

In reality, Saji knew very well what Apoclymon could do. Tai faced him once before.

"I don't need to." Saji took out a shuriken and threw it at Apoclymon, knowing well it would do nothing.

Apoclymon simply smacked the star away, but wasn't prepared for what was going to happen after. Not having time to react, Saji lunged at Apoclymon and landed a strong elbow at his chest. Apoclymon staggered back and began to slip off the balloon.

"Help!" Sagi looked over to where the scream came from, "Help me please!"

"Sora!" Saji quickly aimed his wrist towards the doorway. He fired the cable and it shot right at the brick wall. Saji then shot another cable from his other wrist and shot it at the wall on the other side. He used the acid tipped fingertip to break off the cables from the wrists and stuck to the two ends together to create and tightrope. He grabbed onto the cable and began to slide across the cable towards Sora. Saji extended out one of his hands to help Sora up, but before he reached her, Apoclymon came from behind and tackled him into the building, where the others were.

"You will not take my revenge from me!" Apoclymon began to smash Saji's face on the floor.

"Get off of me!" Saji elbowed him atr his face and kicked him off. He then unsheathed his katana and sliced at Apoclymon. He dodged the slash and retaliated by slashing at him.

"I am almighty!" Apoclymon shouted, "No mere human can defeat me."

"Well then its a good thing that I'm not a mere human." Saji slashed at Apoclymon again and managed to slice him right at his left rib.

Apoclymon grabbed the wound in pain and backed away. As he slowly went towards the doorway, he purposely stepped on one of Sora's hands and she lost her grip, now only holding on with one hand. Apoclymon jumped off and landed on the rooftop he was previously on, "We'll meet again, clown!" He then ran off, into the darkness.

"Help!" Sora began to lose her grip on the ledge. Both Matt and Saji ran to her, hands out ready to help her up. Sora finally lost her grip and began to fall.

"Hold on Sora!" Saji jumped and fell down to Sora. He got his arm around Sora's waist and shot a cable up to the top of the building. The cable hit the ledge of the roof and stuck on. The pressure of the cable forced Saji and Sora to go back up. Saji used this oppurtunity and pulled hard on the cable, forcing the two to the roof. The twoo landed on the roof and Sora slowly got to her feet.

"Thank you so much Saji." Sora said, "You don't know how grateful I am."

"I dare do all that may become a man; Who dares do more is none." That was all Saji said.

"You seem to like quoting Shakespeare." Sora said.

"It seems to work well with the situation we are in." Saji said, "And it is true; anybody who does more than what he should is no man at all."

"I guess that means saving lives and stopping crime is what you need to do to be a man?" Sora asked.

"Correct." Saji said, "And lets not forget what I told you on our first encounter; I have my respect for women."

"And I am grateful for that." Sora said, "I really don't know how else to thank you. You saved my life many times."

"My deeds do not require a reward." Saji said.

"At least let me give you this." Sora slowly approuched him.

"Wha-wha-what are you doing?" Saji asked, slowly backing away.

"It's just my way of thanking you." Sora softly rested her right hand on Saji's left cheek...or, the left cheek of his mask. She slowly brought her lips to his right cheek and kissed him there, "Thank you."

"Oh my." Saji said, "You have done something beyond the boundaries of my duty."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"You've passed the border between the world you know and the world I come from." Saji said, "I've brought you to the border, but you've crossed it. You have passed the point of no return."

_You have come here,  
in pursuit of your deepest urge.  
In pursuit of that wish, which till now,  
Has been silent._

Saji slowly placed his index finger over the lip of his mask. The posture looked as if he was hushing someone.

_Silent._

_I have brought you,  
that our passions may fuse and merge.  
In your mind you've already succumbed to me, dropped all defenses,  
completely succumbed to me.  
Now you are here with me,  
no second thoughts.  
You've decided.  
Decided._

Sora knew this song well. She remembered that she had to sing this song in her music class in grade 9. She remembered the lyrics to this song, but never sang it since she made it to grade 10. She felt somewhat awkward, listening to Saji sing at the current time and place they were in.

_Past the point of no return.  
No backward glances.  
Our games of make-believe are at an end._

He slowly walked towards Sora and began walking around her, as if he was the predator, preparing to attack his helpless prey.

_Past all thought of 'if' or 'when'.  
No use resisting.  
Abandon thought and let the dream descend._

He then held his right hand up into a fist and when he snapped it open, a burst of flame came out.

_What raging fire shall flood the soul?_

He closed his hand and the flame disappeared. He then opened his hands again, but this time, as if from nowhere, a rose appeared in his hand. He handed it to Sora and she willingly took it in her hands.

_What rich desire unlocks its door?  
What sweet seduction lies before us?_

Sora then began to have a strange feeling. She felt as if she knew the emotion of Saji. _He loves me._

_Past the point of no return.  
The final threshold.  
What warm unspoken secrets,  
will we learn,  
beyond the point of no return?_

He waited for a response from Sora, but nothing came. Sora simply looked at the rose she had just recieved. Saji slowly walked over to her and she looked up at his mask.

"Do you not know this song?" Saji asked.

"No, I know it." Sora said.

"Can you sing?" Saji asked.

"Of course." Sora answered.

"Then please, sing for me." Saji said, "Let me hear your voice. lift my spirit."

Sora was hesitant at first. Why sing now? It seemed so strange and ridiculas. She began to imagine what would happen if someone was around to see this, how would they react? What would Matt say if he saw this? As she continued to ponder on it, she felt a strange sensation. Before she could do anything to stop herself, she took a deep breath and released her voice.

_You have brought me,  
to that moment when words run dry.  
To that moment when speech disappears,  
into silence.  
Silence._

She stopped, "Please." Saji said, "Continue."

"It seems strange." Sora said, "I feel kinda stupid."

"Why do you say that?" Saji asked.

"It's not like me to sing outloud around people." Sora answered.

"Well, there are no 'other people'." Saji said, "Just you and me."

Sora smiled softly and her voice rose again.

_I have come here,  
Hardly knowing the reason why.  
In my mind I've already imagined,  
our bodies entwining,  
defenseless and silent.  
Now I am here with you,  
no second thoughts.  
I've decided.  
Decided._

As she prepared herself for the next verse, a familiar voice came to her ears.

"Sora!" It was Matt. The voice came from the doors that led to the roof, "Sora!"

Sora looked back at Sagi, but found that he was gone. There was no trace of him. Sora then looked back to the doors where Matt's voice came from. Moments later, he bursted through the doors and grabbed Sora in a hug.

"Are you alright?" Matt asked, "I was so scared. I thought I lost you."

"I'm fine." Sora answered, "I'm alright."

"Where is he?" Matt asked, "Did he do anything to you?"

"Uh..." Sora wanted to tell him the truth, but what would that do to Sagi? "Uh, no. He left right after he took me up here." She lied.

"Alright then. You wanna go home?" Matt asked, "It is kinda late."

"Ok." Sora replied, "What about the others?"

"They're gonna go home their own way." Matt said, "Let's go."

* * *

**How was this chapter? Send me a review. Also to mention, I don't know whether this will disappoint you, but this story will be ten chapters long. The first chapter is a teaser intro, so it doesn't count as a chapter.**


	9. Interrogation

**Sorry for the long wait, but since school now started, its been hard to find the time to get the story going. I hope you all liked my last chapter. We'll be coming to a close in a few more, but I'll make it as interesting as I can. Enjoy the next chapter.

* * *

**

**The Dark Jester**

**Chapter Eight**

**Interrogation**

"Another Failure!" Apocalymon swung his fist and came in contact with the wall of his hidden warehouse. The punched created a giant dent into the metal surface, in the shape of his fist. Standing near him was another loyal servant that was there to hear him yell in fury, "He Foiled My Plans Yet Again!"

"What is your next plan master?" He asked.

"It seems that whenever I send an attack on those DigiDestined, he's always there." Apocalymon said. Looking back to every time he had an attack on them, The clown was always there to stop him, "Perhaps I can get him through another method."

"What are you thinking, master?" the servant asked.

"Gather a group of six." Apocalymon ordered, "I have a mission for you."

* * *

Light cracked its way through the curtains of the window, shining on all that was in its path. The light found its way to Tai's face and he slowly opened his eyes from it. He got up and rubbed his head, brushing his hair. He removed the blanket off him and slowly turned around to place his feet on the floor. His upper body had some small bruises on him; one was on his left bicep, a larger one was on his left side, a big bruise mark was on his chest. 

"Oh god, these hurt." Tai muttered. He looked over to his bedside clock; 9:22, "Oh shit, I'm gonna be late."

He quickly ran out into the washroom and began to clean up, he took clothes from his closet and put on some shoes. With his bag of books with him, he ran out the door, heading to class. He ran down a flight of stairs, ran outside the building to head to another building, went up some stairs and ran to a classroom. He was on time, he went to a chair and sat down, ready for the lesson. The professor arrived at the front of the classroom and began to start the lesson.

(Some time later)

Class finished and it was Tai's break before his next class. He went back to his room to watch some TV while his break was still on. He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.

"I wonder what the news highlights are." Tai said to himself. Flipping through the channels, Tai found the news.

**"Today's top ten highlights." The news anchor said, "With the number one highlight being the great event last night, it involved the one and only Dark Jester."**

**The corner of the screen opened up a small window that showed Sagi, but the image was blurry.**

**"Last night at the annual Halloween Festival Parade, an attack was made on one of the buildings on the street of where the parade was. Witnesses said they have seen a group of teenagers on the balcony of the building when an explosion destroyed the entire balcony and almost ended the life of a female teenager. Witnesses have also mentioned seeing a dark caped figure engaging in a fight with the Dark Jester when he arrived to the rescue. No one was hurt or killed that night, but extensive damage was done to the building."**

"Well, that building's not my problem." Tai said. He had nothing else to do for the time being, nothing good was on TV and Izzy was still in class. He decided to find a time to leave the place for the next five hours he has. He went to the phone and dialed a number.

* * *

Kari was watching a movie in her room while she was still in bed. Her parents were out of the house for work, so no one else was around. The phone rang and Kari paused the movie to pick it up. 

"Hello?" Kari spoke into the phone.

"Hey Kari." It was Tai.

"Oh hey Tai." Kari replied, "Don't you still have classes?"

"Its my five hour break." Tai said, "Listen, I'm really sorry for not being at the dance party last night. I had..."

"Its alright." Kari said, "Izzy told me, I understand. You needed to study."

"Uhh...yeah." That was a lie, Tai wasn't studying last night, He was actually there. "Listen, I want to make it up to you. How about I take to out for lunch?"

"That would be nice." Kari said, When can I expect you?"

"Probably around a good hour or so." Tai said, "I'll take you somewhere nice."

"Alright then." Kari replied, "See you then."

* * *

"Bye." Tai hung up the phone. 

He walked to his closet and slid the back wall to one side. Hanging on the wall, his mask looked at him with the same smile as before. He grabbed the mask, the clothes, as well as some of the other equipment and closed the secret door. He emptied hid school bag and stuffed his costume into it.

He walked out to the parking lot. Because the bus stop was close to the parking lot, Tai had to cut through here, and timing couldn't be better. In front of him was a black Honda Super Hawk(In case you don't know, its a motorcycle), parked but with the ignition key still in it. Not too far away, a teen, a student of the school, was being taken into custody by police officers.

"Get you hands off of me." He demanded, "You have nothing on me."

"Then how do you explain this?" One of the police officers reached into his pocket and took out a small bag that contained awhite powdered substance, "How do you explain this and all the cash in your pockets?"

"Uhh..." He was screwed, they caught him and now he knew he would be serving jail time, "Come on, at least let me get my bike keys."

"We'll get our boys to deal with it." The officer said, "Into the car."

He pressed the teen's head and lowered it to prevent his head from hitting the car. He closed the door and the two officers got into the car and drove off. Now Tai was left alone with the bike and the keys.

"Can today get any better?" Tai smiled. He got on the bike and started the engine. Tai had some knowledge on how to work a bike; When he used to be close to Matt, closer then they are now, Matt used to teach Tai how to ride a bike. Tai kicked the kickstand up and took the bike out into the open road, _They'll probably be looking for it eventually. I better find another way back here after lunch._

_

* * *

_Kari waited outside the bus stop, waiting for Tai to show up. She knew very well which bus Tai would arrive in, but its been a while and Kari was beginning to get impatient. 

_He better not blow me off like this._ Kari thought to herself, _What kind of brother is he?_

_

* * *

_

Tai stopped the bike at a bus stop not to far from the station. If he was to arrive by bus, he would have to get on the bus first. He hid the bike in a nearby alleyway and hid it under a pile of garbage bags. He waited for the bus to arrive, which came several minutes later. He got on and paid his fare. The next stop was the station, which was in view from where Tai was so he didn't bother to sit down. The bus arrived at the station and everone on the bus got off. Tai got off and was greeted by none other than his younger sister Kari. Kari ran up to him and jumped up to hug her big brother. 

"You made it." Kari said, "I thought you wouldn't show up."

"And what would make you think that?" Tai asked with a smile, "How could I miss quality time with my sister?"

"So, where am I gonna take us?" Kari asked.

"You?" Tai asked, "What do you mean you're taking us?"

Kari reached into her pocket and took out a set of keys, "Mom and Dad got me a car." Kari smiled.

"What!" Tai exclaimed, "Why you?"

"I'll tell you at lunch." Kari walked off to the parking lot to her new car. Tai was in awe of the vehicle. It was a Toyota Solara convertible with a silver-white color, "Hop in."

* * *

(Meanwhile) 

Matt and Sora were walking down the streets of the city. The two just had lunch and were on their way to Matt's car.

"Are you sure this Saji guy isn't bothering you?" Matt asked, "If he is, I'll willingly kick his ass."

"Don't worry about it Matt." Sora said, "He's done nothing else, but save my life. He hasn't touched me in any other way."

"Alright." Matt said. He reached out to hold Sora's hand, "I'm just worried about you. Now that Apoclymon's back, I don't know what to do. I'm scared I might lose you."

"You won't Matt." Sora reached out to kiss him, "It won't happen."

Matt slowly came in to kiss her again, but instead, Sora yelled out, "Matt! Behind You!"

Matt turned around and was met with a fist to the face. Matt fell back from the hit and landed on his bottom. The thug grabbed Matt by his head and lifted him up. He then punched him down, but Matt was able to block the shot. He spun around and landed a roundhouse kick to the thug's head. From behind Sora, another thug grabbed her and tied a gag to her mouth. Matt turned around and saw this.

"Get your hands off of her, fucker!" Before Matt could do anything, the thug he had just kicked got up and hit him across the head with a plank of wood. Matt fell to the ground, unconcious.

Sora looked in shock of what happened to her boyfriend. The thug walked over to her slowly, _Oh god, please don't rape me._

The thug reached into his pocket and took out a small spraycan. He aimed it at Sora's face and said, "Nighty-night" right before spraying her face with it. Sora instantly dropped her eyes and was sedated.

* * *

"So are you alright?" Tai asked, "It must've been scary." 

"It was." Kari said, "But that clown dude showed up again."

"Really?" Inside, Tai smiled, "But are you really sure it was Apoclymon?"

"I am." Kari replied, "It looked like him and he knew us as DigiDestined."

"This is not good." Tai said, "We had alot of trouble beating him before, what can we do now?"

"I don't know." Kari said.

There was a long pause between them. Tai decided to break the silence, "Let's talk about something else."

* * *

A thud was heard when Sora and Matt were dropped on the stone floor. The two woke up from their state and looked around. A mass amount of black dressed men were surrounding them. 

"I have a bad feeling about this." Matt said.

"Back away." A voice said, "Its not nice to intimidate our guest."

They all did as ordered. They all backed away from the two, letting them stand up. The two looked around some more and realized that they were in a warehouse.

"What do you think of it?" the voice asked, "Its not much, but I do what I can."

They both turned around and saw Apoclymon, sitting on a large stone throne at the far end of the warehouse.

"Bastard!" Matt ran at Apoclymon, but the men all gaurded the way, forming a wall to prevent Matt from running any further.

"I didn't bring you two here for a fight. I brought you here for a negotiation." Apoclymon said.

"What negotiation?" Matt said, "And what makes you think we would agree to it?"

"Because it involves someone that we both despise." Apoclymon said. He got up from his throne and wlaked over to Matt, "Do you happen to know the one they call Saji, The Dark Jester?"

Matt shuddered at the sound of that name. For the past few weeks, that name's been irritating him. The fact tht he's always been saving Sora's life and trying to hit on her.

"I can sense that you show envy to him." Apoclymon said, "Which is why I belive this agreement will be done well."

"Wait, Matt." Sora came to Matt's side, "I don't know about this. This is Apoclymon, we fought him years ago to prevent destruction of the Digital world and our world."

"Perhaps it was best to bring you here without her." Apoclymon said, "For this reason, I will have to extend my end of this deal."

Two of the black suited men grabbed Sora from behind. Matt tried to beat them down, but they both had swords. "Leave her alone." Matt demanded.

"This is the deal." Apoclymon said, "I've known that this Saji seems to be around her many times. I want you two to set up a trap for him. I want him snared so that he will no longer be of a problem for me."

"And what do I get in return?" Matt asked.

"You two can live together without that clown interfering with your lives." Apoclymon said, "If you do this, I'll see to it that you both get left alone, away from his annoyance."

"I don't know Matt." Sora said. She didn't say this, not only because she didn't trust Apoclymon, but she also worried about what may happen to Saji. Sure, he's a freak, but he's saved her many times and she had grown to developed feelings for him, "Matt?"

Matt had the choice made up in his mind. As much as he hated Apoclymon and wanted to punch him in the face right now, Saji was whom he hated the most. "I'll do it."

"Perfect." Apoclymon said, "But I belive we'll have to use someone else for this to work."

"What do you mean?" Matt asked.

"Well, you have no hope of getting the clown to fall for my trap." Apoclymon explained, "For that reason, I'll have to have _her_ do it." He raised his index finger and pointed it at Sora. "You have the charm to do it, otherwise, you two would have never been together to begin with."

Sora was shocked to realize that she had to lure Saji into his demise. She pondered on the decision.

"Well?" Apoclymon asked. He began to grind his sharp fingernails together.

* * *

"As much as I like Davis, he's still not in my book." Kari said. 

"Why not?" Tai asked, "Davis is a great guy."

"I know he is, but there's some things about him that I really don't like." Kari answered, "And don't forget, I'm still with TK."

"I know that, but..." Before Tai could finish his sentence, he heard the sound of a woman screaming. The two of them got up and ran outside to see what was happening.

"Get back!" They heard the sound of a man yelling as the sound of a machine gun was being fired, "Get back and bring us our money!"

"What's going on?" Kari asked.

Tai looked over the crowd to see. He saw that several men dressed in black with black sock masks were surrounding a bus. Two of them were inside and five others were outside. "Stay here Kari, I'm gonna go get the police."

"But..." Tai was already off, down the street and heading to the alley. He quickly ran as far deep into the alley as he could and took out his bag. He unzipped the bag and opened it up to reveal the mask inside.

* * *

"Give us our fucking money right now!" The terrorists demanded. 

Just then, several poilce cars arrived on the scene. They parked their cars on an angle to use it as a cover from any gun shots. Not too far away, a news van pulled over and several camera crew members came out with the news reporter behind them all.

**Put down your weapons.** The PA said coming from the chief police, **You're surrounded.**

"Shoot their asses down!" One of the terrorist said.

"Excellent idea." The other terrorist smiled.

"I personally think its not a good idea." A voice said.

"What the fuck?" The terrorists looked to where the voice came from. They saw a black caped figure standing there, "It's him."

"What's going on!" The two terrorists came out of the bus and looked at what was happening.

"Justice is in order here." Saji said, "Apparently, death is your punishment."

"Not unless we kill you first." All seven terrorists formed a line and aimed their guns at Saji. Saji made no movement, he still stood there.

"Go ahead, fools." Saji said with a deep voice, "Make my day...if you dare."

"Kill him." They all pulled the triggers of their guns and the bullets fired frojm the barrels. When the bullets impacted on Saji, he was forced back from the shots, he constantly moved around from the bullets that came in contact with his body. In a matter of seconds all their guns were depleted. The lowered their guns and looked over to the clown. Saji stood there, from under the mask, blood began to drip out, drizzling down his chin. His body moved forward, but his feet didn't cooperate. The body fell to the ground and stayed their, while blood began to fill the cracks on the road. "Check him." The terrorist leader ordered.

One of them slowly and cautously approuched the dead body covered by the cape. He quickly kicked the body to see if there was any life left in him, but there was no response form the kick, "He's dead."

"Then lets look at his face." The terrorist leader walked forward to the body. All the others, minus one of them followed.

The one that remained behind looked around at the bystanders. "Stay back." He said.

The six of the seven terrorist turned the body over to get Saji's body on his back. The leader slowly reached for the mask and grabbed it under the chin, "The moment of truth." He pulled ther mask off and looked in shock to see the face. "Oh god, its Jason." One of them said.

"Wait, if he's here..." The leader began, "Then...who's..."

They all turned around to see the terrorist that was still at the back. He dropped his gun and grabbed onto the clothes and pulled it off. The black clothing was replaced with a different set of black clothing, covered by a black cape. The face was covered by a white and black mask, hidden by the black stetson with a purple feather. "Surprise." Saji grabbed two knives from his belt and pulled them out, spinning them on his index fingers as he grabbed ahold of them both. "_Now_, let the justice begin."

* * *

"I'm getting tired of your delays!" Apoclymon boomed, "Make your choice or I'll make it for you!" 

"Sora, come on." Matt said, "If we do this, We'll be away from that clown."

"What about him?" Sora asked, "We can't leave him to take over Earth."

"We're DigiDestined." Matt said, "We'll find a way."

Sora was back to thinking about her choice. "Alright." Sora said, "I'll do it."

Apoclymon simply smiled with evil as he heard Sora make her choice, "Excellent..."

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it. The end is coming soon. Afterwards, I'll begin on the sequel. Hope you enjoyed it so far. Please send a review.**


	10. Trapped

**Here's the update. We're coming to a close on the first part of my 'Dark Jester' story. I'll have the last chapter up as soon as possible. It might take a few weeks, probably until the end of November. I promise to all of you that I'll focus on this over my other fanfics.

* * *

**

**The Dark Jester**

**Chapter Nine**

**Trapped**

"How can we get this Dark Jester to come out into the open?" Matt asked.

"You won't have to get him in the open." Apocalymon said, "I just need you to bring him here."

"Ok, but how?" Matt asked.

As the two engaged in a temporary truce of a discussion, Sora was thinking over what she had just done. She allied herself with her enemy to get rid of someone who's saved her many times. She's doing this just because she wants to live through the night and Matt's doing this to get rid of Saji.

"Alright then." Matt said, "But you have to swear she won't get hurt."

"You have my word." Apocalymon replied, "I only want the clown."

"What's going on Matt?" Sora asked.

"Apocalymon and I agreed on this." Matt began, "He'll let us leave for home alive and unharmed, but he wants you to lure Saji into the trap."

"What?" Sora shockingly asked, "Why me?"

"From what I noticed, Saji has a little something for you." Matt said, "Its our best chance at getting him."

"Think carfully about your choice young one." Apocalymon said, "For it may be your last."

Sora couldn't stand the fact that she was siding with the enemy in this. Saji's been responsible for the downsizing of crime and now she's going to be involved in a plot to get rid of him.

"Sora?" Matt waited for an answer, "What'll it be?"

* * *

"Thanks for taking me out Tai." Kari smiled, "Its nice to know that we can still be together. Even though you live so far away now." 

"I'll be back home by next year." Tai said, "Until then, you better change Gatomon's room back to mine."

"I still have a good year." Kari replied, "I'll leave it the way it is for now."

"Tell mom and dad I said 'hi'." Tai said. He embraced his little sister in a hug, "I'll see you soon."

"Bye." Kari got inside her car and started the engine. She drove out of the parking lot and down the street.

Tai walked down the streets, with his bag around him. He still had an hour before he has to go back to school, so he decided to wander around the city. As he passed by the alleyway where he 'parked' the bike, he noticed that it was gone. He assumed that the police may have finally found it and impounded it.

Its strange to see how much Tai has changed since his nightmares became reality. Ever since he assumed the identity of the Dark Jester, he's lived a double life; one, he's Taichi Kamiya, college senior and a simple human being with a family. Two, he's Saji, the Dark Jester and a murderous vigilante, wandering in the shadows, popping out to strike at criminality. Two completely opposite traits, yet they are part of the same person. Its surprising that Tai hasn't gone insane from the split lives.

As Tai continued to walk around the streets, he felt a strange sense of evil nearby. He stopped walking and looked around for any sign of trouble. He looked down and noticed a large shadow passed oer him. He looked up and saw a small squad of black cloaked figures running along the rooftops of the large buildings.

* * *

"You really think this will attract that clown?" One of the black cloaked figures asked. 

"You heard what master Apocalymon said." The leader of the squad replied, "The clown would appear at the sight of any danger. whoever he is, he just needs to see us and follow us."

The five continued to run along the rooftops of the buildings, jumping from roof to roof, flipping over and landing soundlessly.

* * *

Tai quickly ran to the alley nearby and opened his bag. Moments later, he jumped over the rooftops and followed the squad of henchmen. They looked back and noticed that the smiling look on the mask was near them. 

"He's here." One of them said, "Pick up the pace."

The squad ran faster, jumping a greater distance. They made their way to the direction of the warehouse and made it there, long before Saji did. They jumped to the windows of the warehouse and broke through the window, entering the structure. Inside, Matt and Sora were inside, waiting.

"He's here." One of them said, "Its time."

"You can do this Sora." Matt said. He held her hands and brought them up to their chins. He kissed them softly, "After this, we can be together without him being a distraction."

"He's here." They said, "Hide."

Before Sora could say anything, Matt ran and hid the the darkness of the warehouse, leaving her with the black cloaked figures. Sora was hesitant at first, but she had to go with the plan if she eanted to live. As the cloaked figures surrounded her, Sora gave a terrified look and began to scream for help.

* * *

Saji was on the roof of the warehouse. 

"Why would they lring me here?" Saji asked himself, "Could this be a trap?"

As soon as he heard the sound of a woman screaming he quickly got into action, "It doesn't matter. Someone's in trouble."

Saji swung down and broke through the window. Inside, he saw Sora surrounded by the cloaked figures he saw earlier and they were about to attack her. Saji unsheathed his Katana and Ninja Sword.

"Stop!" Saji yelled, "You leave that innocent one alone."

"There he is." They said, "Get him!"

The five charged at Saji and prepared to strike at him. Saji jumped up and spun around, using his swords to create a moving barrier around him. The goons didn't consider trying to attack him at the time, knowing the would be sliced and diced. Saji took this moment and unleashed a surprise. He managed to jumped high enough to reach the ceiling and he grabbed onto a bar at the top with his feet. He hung upside down on the ceiling and looked down on the five. He then released his grip on the bar and threw his two swords down towards them. Along with that, he took out his other four swords and, one by one, he threw them down. The six swords landed around the group, forcing them to huddle together.

"Time for the finishing act." As Saji came in contact with the ground, he was right in the middle of the circle of swords. Upon impact, The cracks that were made by the swords released a large explosion. The explosions shortly settled and all that was left was Saji, with the six swords sheathed on his back and the five cloaked men dead on the floor. The holes that were made from the swords emitted a small traceof smoke that was from the explosion. "That concludes tonight's performance."

"How did you do that?" Sora asked. What Saji did looked like a magic trick that would've taken a few hours for the magician to prepare, but Saji did it just now in a place he's never been to before.

"It's all magic from the Jester." Saji replied, "Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine." Sora answered, "Thanks to you, again."

"Well, I did what anyone would have done." Saji said, "Well, if they knew what they were getting into."

Sora smiled softly. She felt comfortable around him. Sure, he killed occasionally, but he saved her many times, even from death. He was like her guardian angel, with swords and bombs. And even though she knew almost nothing about him, she felt as if he's been with her from the start of her life. Someone like...Tai.

"You seem to remind me of someone I know." Sora said. She looked at Saji's pale face, "Someone close to me."

_Probably Matt._ Tai thought to himself, "Oh really? Who might that be?"

"Uh..." Sora broke her gaze upon Saji and looked away, "You probably wouldn't know who I'm talking about." Sora had to slap herself into reality. How could Tai change from what he is to _that_? How could Tai live a life of being a ruthless killer and a college student?

"I guess not." Saji replied, "Tell me. How did you end up in here?"

Sora looked back to Saji. "I was with my boyfriend this afternoon. You remember Matt, right?" Saji nodded in response, "Well, those guys you killed, knocked him out and took me here." Sora wasn't really lying, she did get kidnapped and brought here, but Matt was here too, "I'm just glad you came before they did anything to me."

"I dare do all that may become a man." Saji quoted from Macbeth, yet again, but this time, Sora was prepared for it.

"Who dares do more is none." Sora finished the quote, "So poetic. I love it."

"Thank you, Sora." Saji replied. In response, Saji removed his hat and and bowed down, holding the hat to his heart.

Sora looked over to where Matt was hiding. He emerged from the shadows and looked in confusion.

_What are you doing?_ Matt mouched out.

_I can't do this._ Sora replied. She shook her head to 'sign' what she meant.

_Go with the plan!_ Matt mouthed again, _Do it now._

Sora gave a look of guilt before looking back to Saji. As he brought his head back up, Saji placed his hat back on. This is it. Sora has no other choice but to go with the plan, _I'm so sorry Saji._ Sora thought to herself, _Please forgive me for this._ "You know, I never got to finish that song you sang for me the last time we met."

"That's true." Saji replied, "What do suggesting?"

"I'm past the border, I might as well go with it." Sora answered,

_Past the point of no return,  
no going back now  
Our passion-play has now at last begun. _

Sora slowly walked towards Saji. He didn't move, but in his mind, Tai was trembling. This was what he wanted, this was what he longed for. He wanted to be able to touch Sora in such a way that he could never do before.

_Past all thought of right or wrong,  
one final question.  
How long should we two wait before we're one?_

Sora slowly rested her hand on Saji's left shoulder and walked around him. As she made her way back to the front of Saji, he lifted his hand and touched her face, but she slowly backed away.

_When will the blood begin to race,  
the sleeping bud burst into bloom?  
When will the flames at last consume us?_

Saji boldy stood up. He slowly walked forwards, towards Sora and she did the same. The two slowly came closer to eachother as they prepared for the last part.

_Past the point of no return,  
the final threshold.  
The bridge is crossed,  
so stand and watch it burn.  
We've passed the point of no return._

Their hands touched and they held eachother's soft hands and looked at eachother in the eyes. Sora slowly spun around and rested her back on Saji. She still had his hands in hers and closed her eyes in the soft moment they had. Saji slowly released his grip on Sora's hands and rested his leather gloved hands on her body. He placed his hands on her soft stomach and sora responded to the touch by placing her hands over his. With her hands to guide him, Saji brought his left hand up and brought it to hold her right shoulder, crossing over her chest. Saji then rested his chin on Sora's left shoulder as she slightly tilted her head towards the right, allowing him to rest his chin there.

As the two were in eachother's embrace, a tear came from under the black and white mask. These were not the tears of a clown, but the tears of a pure human. Tai was in tears, this is what he wanted, but he knew Matt was still the last hindrance. He couldn't do this, Matt's his best friend, but Sora's the one he loves. He wanted to released his hold on her, but the temptation forced him to go further. With the sound of his sorrow in his voice, he sang;

_Say you'll share with me,  
one love, one lifetime.  
Lead me, save me from my solitude._

Sora began to here the sadness in his voice, but didn't understand why it was there. If Saji had a loving feeling for her, why is he crying about it?

_Say you want me with you,  
here, beside you._

Sora turned around to looked at Saji. He held onto her hands and brought them closely to his face. Sora began to feeling the wetness of his tears coming from under the mask.

_Anywhere you go,  
let me go too.  
Love me. That's all I ask of..._

Before the vast word came out of his lips, he heard the sound of crashing. He quickly looked over to where it came from and saw a large mass of black cloaked figures. Saji reached for his swords and pulled out two. He held the rapier in one hand and the dao in the other.

"Where did these fools come from?" Saji asked himself.

"I brought them here." A voice from beyond them said.

"Apocalymon." Saji growled, "I should have known."

"Of course." Apocalymon said, as he walked forward, towards Saji, "A man like you should know better."

"I made you run, I can do it again." Saji ran towards Apocalymon, but the all cloaked figures pulled out their own swords and blocked the way. Saji flipped over the first batch and was caught in the middle of them all. He spun around, slicing at them as he was spinning. One of the cloaked figures lunged his sword at Saji, but missed him. Saji retaliated by throwing his rapier. The blade pierced the cloaked minion right through the head and the figure dropped to the floor. Saji continued to slice at the minions of Apocalymon, but it seemed that for every one he killed, three took it's place. Saji held nothing back, relying on pure instincts, and the voice of the clown, Tai fought them off as best he could.

"Cowards!" Apocalymon yelled, "Hundreds of you lose to one?"

They all continued to try and land one blow on Saji, but this proved to be near impossible. Saji's movement gave them unexpected surprises and apparently, their death. Saji fought off with only the dao in his hands, holding it tightly in his grip, Saji fought them off with ease. The enemies gathered together to attempt a strike that would possibly put the clown off balance. Several of them moved towards Saji in a synchronized motion and all together, struck at Saji. Saji blocked the slash with his dao, but the immense pressure of the many swords caused the dao to snap. Saji threw the handle at them and pulled out his katana and ninja sword. He swung the two japanese blades around and sliced at the cloaked fighters, slicing their flesh and killing them in one blow. The use of his two swords was short lived when they attempted to perform another 'powerhouse slash' at Saji, but Saji was prepared for this. As several of them gathered for the attack, Saji used his swords and split the group apart into two. He then pulled his swords back and stabbed at them,. The blades pierced the one in front and traveled through them and reached the clacked one behind and continued to go through. Saji kept pushing the blades forward and pushed them to the wall and stabbed the swords to it, pinning them all to the wall. Saji grabbed his cape and tied a knot in the middle of the cape and at the end and tossed it back, He then unsheathed his Tai Chi sword and lunged a the remainging foes.

* * *

"How can one defeat an army with such ease?!" Apocalymon asked. He went over to Matt and grabbed him by the throat, "What is he?!" 

"How the hell should I know?" Matt asked, "I don't know him."

"This better not fail." Apocalymon said, "If it does, you will pay with your life."

* * *

Saji fought off the army of cloaked fighters with his sword in hand. Using the flexibility of the blade, he not only sliced at them, but whipped them with the flat end to further dustract their attention from their prime target.

"Enough!" A voice boomed.

Saji looked over to where the voice came from and a giant blast of air hit him. The emmense pressure forced the sword out of his grip and it flew up and pierced into the wall. Saji fell to the floor and this gave the enemies the chance to trap him. They all grabbed him and lifted him up on his feet. They unsheathed his last sword, the crusader blade, and tossed it aside. Apocalymon walked towards Saji, with his hand forward, explaining where the blast came from.

"You think this will keep me trapped?" Saji asked, "Think again."

Saji broke free from the grip and snapped his finger, creating a giant cloud of smoke.

"Not so fast." Apocalymon unleashed another blast, but this time, he released a stringed chain from his hand. The chain shot into the smoke cloud and when it settled, Saji was standing in place, wrapped around in chains and unable to move, "It seems the clown has made his last performance."

The cloaked figures brought Saji's body to Apocalymon. At this moment, Sora approuched with Matt next to her.

"You too?" Saji asked, looking at Matt, "I thought it was only Sora."

"Now let's end this masquarade." Apocalymon said, "Let us see who hides beneath that mask."

Apocalymon slowly brought his hand to the mask. He brought his long, clawed fingers under the mask and pulled it off. The shocking surprise hit Sora and Matt when they finally discovered the identity of the Dark Jester.

"Tai?" Sora looked at his face and knew instantly who it was, "It's been you all along?"

"Well, well, well. What do you know?" Apocalymon scoffed, "The DigiDestined leader is also a solo vigilante."

"Tai? How is this possible?" Matt asked. His envy for Saji quickly dissolved, now that he knows who the clown is. His best friend has been taking on a superhero job and was now captured by their worst enemy.

"Well, at least all this is now over. I have the clown and now there is no one left to stop me." Apoclymon joyfully said, "But first, tell me." He grinned with the hint of evil in his eyes, "Do you know why you're here clown?"

Tai looked up, glaring at Apocalymon, "Because I did what a hero would do. Rescue an innocent life."

"Wrong." Apocalymon answered, "You're here because..." He pointed his sharp clawed index finger towards Matt and Sora, "They turned you in...over love."

Tai looked at the two in horror. His own friends betrayed him, they set him up for the trap.

"Ironic isn't it?" Apocalymon asked with an evil, chuckle, "The bearer of love, now created hate. Hate, through you."

In pure anger, Tai forced himself at Matt and Sora, yelling in fury, but the chains prevent him from getting up properly, but he managed to jump at a good distance. As he came closer to the two, he felt a strong hit to the back of his head. He fell to the ground, unconcious from the hit and remained there.

"Chain him to the wall." Apocalymon ordered one of his servants, "And have those two chained up too."

* * *

**That's the end of the second last chapter. Please read and review.**


	11. It Ends Here

**Nice to see that lots of you are reviewing my fanfic. Sadly, this is the last chapter of my current story, but let that upset you too much. In due time, I'll have the sequel up. There's going to be a small teaser 'trailer' for my sequel as my final chapter to this story.

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**

**The Dark Jester**

**Chapter Ten**

**It Ends Here**

It was dark, very dark. Not that he wasn't used to it, it was just he was in an uncomfortable position in the dark. But why would he be uncomfortable with the darkness itself? He's been using the darkness for his methods for some time now and has no reason to hate it. This is what is going on in the mind of Saji, The Dark Jester.

He opened his eyes and looked around in the dark warehouse. Not much to look at, just old crates and a very old wall. Tai tried to get up, but something held him down. He looked over to his arms and found that something metal was wrapped around them. They were chains, and they were very thick. Tai struggled but made no luck in getting free, the weight and strength of the chain forced Tai to kneel on the unclean floor.

"How could they do this to me?" He asked himself, "How could they betray me like that? What did I do to make them turn me in like this?"

Tai then noticed a dim light from afar. The light filled up small areas in where Tai was, he found that he was definitly on the balcony of the warehouse, and that the light was coming from the center of the warehouse. He then heard the sound of loud cheering and roars of applause from where the light was coming from.

"It has finally arrived!" A familiar voice said, the voice of Apocalymon, "The clown has been captured and put to rest."

* * *

"Our moment to rise has arrived at long last!" Apocalymon yelled. He stood in front of an enormous fire that was burning in a giant pile of wood on a raised platform in the center of the warehouse, "This night will be the night the Digimon rule both worlds." The cheering grew louder as Apocalymon made his speech, "But first, bring out the sacrifices."

From the crowd of black cloaked figures, Sora and Matt were carried to the center, where the large fire was. The two had their hands bound behind them and their arms wrapped by thick ropes. The two struggled to be free from their bondage, but the ropes were tightly knotted and thick.

"You lying bastard!" Matt yelled, "You swore you would let us leave unharmed."

The cheering stopped and Apocalymon looked over to the two. "Did you actually think I would keep my word? Did you actually think I would come to terms with the DigiDestined?" The whole congregation laughed at the remark. "You should have known that you cannot trust your enemies. Thanks to you, I have gotten two wishes granted; the capture of the clown and the destruction of the DigiDestined."

"You know there will still be more of us." Sora said, "You can't kill us all."

"Well, I can try." Apocalymon smiled evilly, "Prepare the ritual!"

The fire dimmed out and a large wooden pole stood in the middle of the fire wood. Several of the cloaked figures that stood at the front came up to the raised platform and grabbed the two humans. They carried them to the giant pole and proceeded to tie them on. The struggled seemed useless, the two of them were tied to the post and unable to move.

"What do plan to do with us?" Matt asked.

"There is a portal." Apocalymon began, "A portal that connects this world to the Digital World. The fire that you are will soon be consumed in is the location of the portal. By sacrificing the burning blood of a human, the portal will be opened and my dreams of a human realm ruled by Digimon will happen."

"But why kill us both like this?" Matt asked, "At least let her go."

"I plan to make this ritual succeed. Two sacrifices are always better than one." Apocalymon said, "Now if you excuse me, I have a congregation to speak to."

The cloaked minions gagged the two and made their way off the platform and joined the rest of the group. Matt and Sora continued struggling, having hope that something will happen and they would be savedfrom their demise.

* * *

From the top floor of the warehouse, Tai forced enough strength in himself to crawl over to the edge of the ledge and looked over the whole event.

_Oh no._ Tai saw that Matt and Sora were tied to the pole of where the fire was once standing. _This can't happen. Not like this. _He saw Apocalymon standing before them all and proceeded to speak to them.

"And now!" He began his speech, "To begin my ritual, The powers of my greatest enemy, will be offered to show great gratitude to the portal." He raised the mask of Saji up for all to see. The entire congregation booed and jeered when they saw the mask. "With this mask, the power to open the portal will be less difficult to accomplish and our Digimon will finally arrive!"

The cheering resumed and Tai brought himself closer to the ledge, focing himself on his knees. "I can't let him do this." He said, "He has to be stopped."

"We shall see the end of the human world!" Apocalymon said. He turned around and raised his arm to the firewood, "And we will send these humans to their doom, where they belong." The fire burned and the two victims paniced in fear as the heat ignited and began to come close to them.

"NO!" Tai got up on his feet and forced the chains to come out. The pressure held him back, but Tai continued to fight through, the bondage. The wall of which the chains were attached to began to slowly form cracks. Tai kept forcing his way through, breaking his way out of the chains that kept him away from doing what he could. With the last bit of strength in him, the chains broke off him, taking parts of the wall with it. Tai kneeled from the forced exhaustion, but the anger inside him fueled him up with more energy and brought him back to his feet.

"No, he's loose." Apocalymon saw what Tai was doing, "Stop him!"

Tai removed the last strands of chain on him and proceeded to run towards the ledge. He jumped off and grabbed ahold of the rope that hung on the ceiling. The swung down to the ground and managed to reach Apocalymon. He snatched the mask out of his hand and as he swung to the other side, he put the mask on. He swung back and when he came close to the bonfire, he released his grip on the rope and fell into the fire. His cape covered up the pole and soon, the cape burned in the flames.

"He's gone." Apocalymon smiled with delight, "What a fool, falling to his own demise."

"Funny, a fool is what I've always been." A voice said from the fire, "What makes this any different?"

"What?" Apocalymon saw that the fire began to settle and fade out. Saji stood there with Matt and Sora behin him, unbound from the ropes, "Still alive?! No!"

"Stay hidden." Saji told the two. His voice had a small sense of anger in him, "I'll deal with you later."

Sora and Matt both ran off the platform and ran to hide somewhere secure and away from the battle. Sora took no second thought to look back, knowing full well that Tai was not in any mood to look at Sora at the current situation he was in, as well as after what she had done to him.

Saji jumped over Apocalymon and off the platform, landing on the ground, in the middle of the large mass of cloaked minions. "Kill Him!" Apocalymon ordered. With no swords at his disposal, Saji had to rely on hand to hand combat if he wanted to survive this fight.

"Hundreds of us against one clown." One of them remarked, "What hope does he have?"

"Just a fool's hope." Saji replied in a whisper.

(Go to youtube to see this video. If you've seen Tony Jaa's movie **Tom Yum Goong**, or **The Protector**, the fight where he beats hundreds of guys by breaking their bones, thats the video.)

Saji walked towards the foot of the platform, leaving the broken bodies of Apocalymon's minions behind him. From their hiding place, Sora and Matt saw the immense bonebreaking that Saji caused and the pain coming from them. While Matt hid from the action, Sora got a full view of what had just happened and she was extremely shock from what she saw.

_Such anger._ Sora thought to herself, _I've never seen Tai act this angry before in my life._

"You may have defeated my soldiers, but I won't be easily defeated." Apocalymon said.

"Perfect, a challenge. Haven't had one for some time since our last encounter." Saji replied calmly.

"What hope do you have against me?" Apocalymon threw his cape aside from covering his body and let it hang over his back. In his hand, he held Saji's Crusader sword, "How do you plan to fight me weaponless?"

"I'm not weaponless." Saji pulled out several shuriken from his belt and threw them, one by one at Apocalymon. Apocalymon blocked each star with the sword, but when the last one came, Saji followed, with a knife in each hand. He jumped up and slashed down on Apocalymon, but the sword was already in position to block the blow.

"Knives against a sword? Really, what makes you think you can win like that?" Apocalymon asked, "You're going to die tonight and you know it."

"I know that someone will die, but it will not be me." Saji took the time to look up to the wall behind Apocalymon. The katana and ninja sword were still there, pierced to the wall, with bodies stuck with it. Saji ran towards Apocalymon, holding both knives forward. He threw each of them at Apocalymon and jumped over him. The knives created a distraction for him to jump over without trouble. Saji landed on the other side and pulled out the ninja sword, letting the bodies fall to the floor. "Now let us dance."

The two engaged in a brutal sword fight; slashing at eachother while spinning and dodging each blow that came at them. Metal clashed with metal as the two fighters in black capesmoved around the large warehouse, attempting to overpower the other.With the sound of the metal clanging and objects breaking, its a miracle that no one outside the warehouse could hear. As the two continued in their epic swordplay, Saji managed to knock Apoaclymon into a pile of crates that gave him a temporarily break. He ran over to Matt and Sora,with the sword still in hand.

"What is wrong with you two idiots?"Saji asked, forcefully, "Call the police, tell them to come here."

Apocalymon broke free from the bondage of large crates and charged at Saji. Saji spun around, holding the tip of the blade in the other hand. As he came face to face with Apocalymon, Saji released his grip on the metal blade end and the the blade slapped Apocalymon across the face, breaking his balance. Saji attempted to stab him from behind, but Apocalymon caught on to the attempt and slid away from the blade. He got up and the two continued to engage in metal on metal.

"You came close to defeat when you were in a team." Apocalymon remarked, "You have no chance on defeating me alone."

With that, Apocalymon got his moment; he found a window of oppurtunity from Saji and took the chance. He used the hilt of the sword and smashed it at Saji's face. Saji fell to the floor and lost his sword. Apocalymon kicked the sword aside and grabbed Saji by his face. He swung a punch at Saji and he flew across the warehouse and slammed into a wall, creating a large dent on the metal surface. He fell to the floor and stayed down there, too much in pain to move. Apocalymon slowly walked over to the body and held his sword forward. Saji slowly got to his feet and tried to maintain his balance.

"Looks like you're out of tricks."Apocalymon grinned.

He raised his sword and shot it forward, aiming for Saji's head. The blade came in contact with the mask and pierced through the face. "TAI!" Sora screamed as she saw the killing blow that Apocalymon made.

As Apocalymon smiled at his victory blow, The body began to disappear into dust. From behind Saji appeared, fully unharmed and with his mask on. "Not quite, my worthy foe."

Saji swung his fist and punched Apocalymon right at the face. He lost grip to his sword and it fell to the floor. Saji continued to swing massive punched at Apocalymon as he staggerd back from the blows. Saji clicked his heels twice and the blades from under the soles unsheathed out. Saji began to kick at Apocalymon with them, piercing him with the strong metal blades, and cutting through him. Saji made the final kick,by landing a kick to Apocalymon's side and pushing the blade to come through and out his back.

"Stop." Apocalymon begged, "Please...have mercy."

"Mercy? For you?" Saji laughed, "After what you did to me, and what you planned to do to the others you expect mercy from me?"

Saji raised his arms and aimed them at Apocalymon. He shot out the metal cables and they shot through Apocalymon through the shoulders. Saji pulled on the cable and Apocalymon was forced to fall forward. Clicking his heels again, the blades on his boots sheathed back in. Saji walked over to the body and kicked in to roll over, having Apocalymon's face looking at his. "I want you to know this before you die. You will not die at the hands of Saji." He reached for his mask and removed it from his face, showing the face of Taichi Kamiya, "But at the hands of me." He slammed his knee on Apocalymon's chest and with that, he grabbed for his throat and began to squeeze.

Apocalymon kicked and struggled for air, but the anger in Tai prevented that. Tai continued to squeeze with all his might, wringing the life out of his enemy. This was the brutal side of Tai, but he didn't care, if this brings the end of Apocalymon, then so be it. With the remaining force leftin him, Tai gave one last push and Apocalymon finally ceased struggling.

It was over.

It was done.

It was finished.

Apocalymon was defeated.

* * *

"The police are on their way." Matt said. He looked over to Sora and saw that she was wlaking over to Tai, who had now put his mask back on.

"Tai?" Sora tried to get his attention, "Tai, I know you can hear me."

"Of course I can hear you." Saji rpelied, "But do you honestly think I would forget what happened several hours ago?"

"Tai, I'm..."

"Its Saji."Saji interrupted, "My name is Saji."

"Tai."Sora chose not to be corrected. This was the name she knew, "I'm so sorry."

"You think apologizing will make this all better?!" Saji raised his voice, "You think apologizing will make me forget that you almost had me killed?"

"Tai, please."

"Be gone." Saji looked away from Sora, "You have lost my respect. From here on forth, I will not be protecting you."

From afar, the sound of sirens grew louder and louder. "They're here." Matt said, "Come on Sora."

The sirens were at their loudest. They arrived at the warehouse and the police broke inside. They ran over to Matt and Sora. "Are you two alright?"

"Yes, we're fine." Matt answered.

"Good god, look at this." The police looked at the large amount of dead bodies that were lying on the floor, "Youthink it was _him_?"

"Who else?" Another answered, "No one else I knop could do that."

"Come on kids, let's get you home." The police said, "Your parents will be glad that you're both safe."

* * *

The two teenagers were led outside by the police and taken to the police cars for a ride home. Matt got inside the car, but Sora did go in yet. She was still thinking about him. The rain began to come and Sora was getting splattered little by little from the drops.

From the top of the warehouse, the caped figure of the clown stood in the rain. He held a large cape in his hand that had a helmet to it. As the lightning cracked, it gave off a shadow of Saji down on Sora. She looked up and saw Saji standing on the roof.

"Look, on the roof." The police got a view of Saji as he stood there.

_From here on forth, I will not be protecting you._ Those words echoed in Sora's mind as she stared at Saji in the night sky.

Saji looked down at the cape that he held. The helmet that was attached to the cape wasn't some ordinary helmet, it was the mask that covered the face of his greatest foe, Apocalymon. With his hand and his hand alone, he crushed the mask and let the pieces fall on the ground. He thrusted his hand up and held the cape high up to the sky, showing his trophy.

He gave out a large laugh, but not just any laugh. This was laugh of a clown, or _the_ clown. Instead, it was the laugh of The Dark Jester.

This laugh echoed through the night, signifying the greatest victory of the Clown. The victory of The Dark Jester.

**The End**

* * *

**That concludes the first book of The Dark Jester. The next story will be up in time, but don't expect it for another few months. Anyways, please review.**


	12. Teaser for Sequel

**I hope you guys enjoyed this fanfic. For those of you who haven't taken notice of the small notes I leave before and after the story, I'm planning to make a sequel for this story. While it still involves Tai and his alter ego. I'm gonna give him a partner. Here's a small 'trailer' of my next fanfic.

* * *

**

**A riddle for thought...**

In the night sky a black cape was being blown to the side as the figure of which the cape was attached to stood motionless on the top of a building.

**What has a smiling face...**

The mask of Saji is seen under the hat of the caped figure.

**But a tormented mind?**

Saji grabs his mask and pulls it off as Tai's face is sen under it, screaming in fury.

-----------------

"Hey Kari!" Davis ran through the crowd of people, trying to catch Kari before she got on the bus. She stood out with her pink color in the afternoon sun among other teens.

The two stood face to face in a conversation. Davis has a look of shock as Kari finished up their conversation, "Just give up Davis. I'm not interested."

-----------------

Davis and Tai are in Tai's room as the two talk over some issues.

"Wait here." Tai said, "I'll be back."

Davis' curiousity gets the better of him when he sees a secret entrance that leads to the lair of the clown. He looks around and notices a glass chamber with a black cape.

"What is this?" As Davis gets closer, the cape comes alive and grabs Davis.

-----------------

**Now.**

Saji fights off a group of masked criminals with his swords as they swarm over him.

**His newest enemy,**

Standing before the kneeling Saji, was a figure, dressed the same way as him. He removes his hat and shows his masked face.

**Is himself.**

"Show me what you've got clown." The imposter said.

-----------------

From the corner of the shadows a black caped figure jumped out and landed in the center of the goons as his cape hovered about. The cape then formed blades on his arms. With it, the figure killed every one of the criminals. He then looks over to Kari, who was hiding in the shadows.

"Who are you?" Kari asked, timidly.

The material that covered the face of the figure slithered off(similar to how its done by Venom in Spiderman), revealing the face of Davis. "Hi."

-----------------

"You have any idea how dangerous that cape is?!" Tai yelled at Davis, "You have any idea what would happen if it controled you?!"

"I'm not a little kid anymore." Daivs replied, "This is who I am."

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"Warriors of the Dark." Saji said, showing his smiling face to the black covered figure, "Use darkness for what's right."

"It doesn't get any better than this." The black figure said.

-----------------

**In order to succeed,**

Saji is in a fight with his imposter, slashing at eachother while didging the slashes.

**and defeat his foe.**

Saji is thrown off the top of a building, falling down below.

**He'll need a partner.**

As Saji falls, a giant black-winged figure swoops across and catches him.

**To combat this threat.**

"That's where I come in." Davis said with a smile.

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**THE DARK JESTER II  
Vestige of Identity

* * *

The sequel will be coming up soon. The story will focus more on Davis and Kari, but elements of Tai and Sora will still be there.**


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